If you play online casino games, you’ve likely encountered some unique terminology and acronyms. One of the most common terms you’ll likely hear when playing at a casino online is ‘RNG.’
Therefore, we’ve put together this article to explore the meaning of RNG and its crucial role in keeping digital gameplay fair and fun.
The existence of online games
RNG stands for Random Number Generator. It’s a piece of computer software designed to replicate randomness by generating a new, unpredictable combination of numbers or symbols every second. Online or digital games of chance cannot exist without an RNG.
The outcome of each game is determined by the RNG the moment you press ‘spin’ or activate gameplay. With this, it’s important to note that RNGs have no memory, meaning that the frequency or recency of any outcome has no bearing on future results.
To understand the likelihood of landing a matching combination or your desired outcome on a game, you can check your chosen game’s Return to Player (RTP) rate and volatility, which are typically provided in the game’s description on the casino site.
The RTP rate is usually shown in a percentage and outlines the wagers that are expected to return to the player of a particular game over a period of time.
The volatility – or variance – of a game is used to suggest how often players can expect a payout from said game. It’s important to remember, though, that a win is never guaranteed.
RNGs ensure fairness and unpredictability in all online casino games, serving a similar function to an automatic card shuffler (ACS), which is commonly found keeping gameplay random at land-based casinos.
What games use RNGs?
A prime example of an online RNG is in slot games, where the software operates behind the scenes to create unpredictable combinations that, as mentioned, are revealed the moment you press the spin button.
Other digital games, such as Blackjack and Roulette, also rely on the behind-the-scenes workings of an RNG.
In some cases, RNGs are also present during live casino games, working alongside professionally trained dealers and state-of-the-art technologies to provide a casino experience in real-time.
Other common online casino terms
Whilst playing at an online casino, you may encounter additional terms alongside RNG, such as the aforementioned RTP rate, OCR, and GCU.
OCR stands for Optical Character Recognition software, which is used within live casino gaming. OCR software captures every minute detail of gameplay – from card shuffling to the spin of a Roulette wheel – and translates it into data.
This data is then encoded by a Game Control Unit (GCU), a small device that enables the translation and real-time display of the gameplay on your screen.
Other common terms include RTG, which stands for real-time gaming – another way to describe live casino games, and WR, the acronym for wagering requirement.
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There are so many different acronyms and terminologies you’ll likely come across when playing online casino games – each varying depending on the types of games you like to play.
But no matter which games you decide to play, RNGs arguably are the most crucial, and common technological component.
