Let’s cut through the myths and misconceptions about online casinos and their infamous Random Number Generator (RNG). If you've ever found yourself questioning whether online slots are rigged, if blackjack can be beaten with some fancy strategy, or if casinos have a secret switch to drain your bankroll—this guide is for you.
I’m about to break down how RNG works, why it’s crucial, and whether it can be cheated. Spoiler alert: if you believe casinos are manipulating outcomes to take your money unfairly, you might be focusing on the wrong thing.
RNG stands for Random Number Generator, and it’s the backbone of online gambling. Without it, fair and unpredictable outcomes wouldn’t exist. Every online slot spin, every card dealt in blackjack, and every roulette number that lands—all of it is determined by RNG.
Think of it like this: in a real casino, randomness is achieved through dice rolls, shuffled cards, and spinning wheels. But in online gambling, you don’t have a physical wheel or deck of cards—so software needs to handle randomness instead. That’s where RNG comes in.
There are two ways to generate random numbers:
Some players hear the word "pseudo" and assume it means rigged. That’s not the case. Pseudo RNG is just as random for all practical purposes, and casinos can’t predict or manipulate individual outcomes.
RNG isn’t just pulling random numbers out of thin air—it follows a structured process. Here’s how it works in your favorite games:
Before a slot or table game is released, the software provider sets its RTP (Return to Player), which determines how much money the game pays back over time. This is done by adjusting the seed sequence—the foundation of the RNG.
The RNG continuously generates random number sequences, even when no one is playing. It never stops working, ensuring that outcomes are completely unpredictable.
The moment you press “Spin” or “Deal,” the game grabs whatever numbers are currently being generated and uses them to determine your outcome.
Your slot reels stop in a certain order, your blackjack hand is dealt, or the roulette wheel lands on a number—all based on the random numbers pulled by the game at that exact moment.
The important part? Past results don’t influence future ones. The game doesn’t “remember” your previous spins, so there’s no such thing as a "hot" or "cold" streak.
A common myth is that online slots “adjust” based on how much you’ve won or lost. This is pure nonsense.
Each spin is independent, meaning the game doesn’t care if you’ve just hit a jackpot or lost 20 spins in a row. Casinos don’t need to manipulate outcomes—they make money in the long run thanks to RTP.
RNG has completely changed the game for some classic strategies. Let’s look at blackjack:
It’s the same story for roulette. If you were trying to spot patterns in a real casino, you might have a slim chance of identifying biases. But in online roulette? The RNG ensures every spin is random.
On the other hand, if you’re using negative progression betting strategies like Martingale, they still work the same way—because they’re based on bankroll management, not predicting the outcome. (But just to be clear, Martingale doesn’t make you a winner long-term.)
In theory? Yes. In practice? Not a chance.
The only way to manipulate an RNG would be to hack the seed sequence, which is nearly impossible. Casinos spend millions securing their software, and no reputable operator is going to leave their system vulnerable to attacks.
Even if a hack did happen, it would hurt the casino, not the players. Regulators and fairness testing agencies would catch on fast, and the casino would be shut down.
This is where third-party auditing comes in. Reputable casinos don’t just ask you to trust them—they prove their games are fair through independent testing.
Companies like:
… run millions of test spins to verify that a game’s results match the expected RTP. Think of it like flipping a coin a million times to ensure it's landing on heads 50% of the time.
If a slot has an RTP of 96%, these agencies will check that, over millions of spins, players are indeed winning back 96% of their money on average. If there’s any manipulation, it gets exposed.
If you’re playing at a licensed and regulated casino, RNG is 100% legit. The numbers are random, the results are fair, and the games aren’t rigged against you in any way beyond the built-in house edge.
But if you’re playing at some shady, unlicensed casino with no testing certificates? Well, then you’re rolling the dice in more ways than one.
So, instead of worrying about whether online slots are fair, focus on things that actually affect your gameplay:
Now that you know the truth about RNG, forget the conspiracy theories and enjoy the game for what it is—pure luck with a touch of smart decision-making.
