Since the appearance of online slot devices, a lot of experts and gamblers have discussed whether or not the machines are actually rigged. As we mentioned earlier, you should avoid some of them, however, no all of them are rigged, in most cases, the fixed ones can be found on shady platforms. Beltram, a casino executive, is the point man in a high-technology experiment that could alter the face of slot machines, and their insides, too. With a few clicks of his computer mouse, Mr. The only way to know which slots may be hot or cold is by watching every game on every slot at a land-casino to see which have been emptied and which are hypothetically close to paying out. We don’t recommend doing this. Slot Machines Can Be Manipulated.

Return to player (RTP) is one of the most-important concepts to slots players. Payback determines how much the average player wins from a slot machine.

Can Casino Operators Manipulate their Slot Machines RTP’s? Adjustable RTP Setting Options. It is common knowledge that some casino software platforms can and do give their. Un-Adjustable Payout Percentages. When you choose to play slot games at casinos using NetEnt, Playtech or Microgaming. For as online casinos by their very design are software dependent devices, then as anyone working with computer software will know it can be designed to do whatever the designer of, in this case slot games, wants it to do, and that could mean it is quite easy for a slot game to be somehow rigged or fixed to make a player lose when playing it.

A slots game with 95% RTP, for example, would theoretically deliver $0.95 back for every $1 wagered. A slot machine with 88% payback would only offer $0.88 for each dollar wagered.

Gamblers want to know slots’ RTP for obvious reasons. Knowing a machine’s payout percentage provides an indication on your long-term odds of winning.

But one of the most-common fears is that casinos can simply change slots odds whenever they feel like it. Many gamblers are convinced that casinos alter RTP for a variety of reasons, whether it’s to lower payback during busy hours or simply earn more overall profits.

This fear seems valid when considering that players don’t see the inner workings of slot machines. But are casinos really able to alter payback on a whim?

I’m going to discuss this matter by looking at how casinos change RTP, common beliefs on the subject and casino limitations in controlling payback.

Slot machine RTP is determined by the pay table and how often each prize is programmed to hit.

The pay schedule shows how many credits each symbol combination delivers. The pay table only tells so much, though, and doesn’t show how often each payout is programmed hit.

Each symbol features a certain number of “stops,” which determine how often it’ll land on the reels. Low-paying icons are always programmed with more stops than high-paying symbols.This aspect makes perfect sense when considering that casinos would lose money if they showered you with the jackpot and other large payouts. Instead, games offer lots of smaller prizes and rarely pay the jackpot.

A random number generator (RNG) ultimately determines which symbol combinations come up on each spin. Contrary to common opinion, the RNG does not determine payback.

Instead, this program merely cycles through different symbol combinations to determine the results of your spin. The RNG is more likely to include symbols that have a higher number of stops.

An RNG has no recollection of what happens on your previous spins. Instead, its main job is to come up with random results.

Again, icons with many stops will be chosen by the RNG more frequently than other symbols.

Casinos don’t need to worry about programming payout percentages — this is the game developer’s job. Instead, they simply consider what RTP they want to order for a given game.

Providers give land-based casinos a number of options to choose from when ordering payback.

Here’s an example:

MGM Grand wants to order Aristocrat’s Game of Thrones.
Aristocrat offers RTP choices of 88.0%, 90.0%, 92.0%, and 94.0%.
MGM selects the version with 92.0% payback.

Online slots developers usually offer a uniform RTP for any game that they produce. Internet casinos that license their slots are then forced to use the provider’s chosen payout percentage.

But a minority of online slots providers do let casinos choose from preset RTP amounts (covered later).

How casinos change payout percentages depends upon the style of game. Payback for most land-based slot machines is determined by the EPROM chip located inside.

A gambling establishment can alter a machine’s RTP as long as they have the EPROM chip, which is sometimes the case. Theoretically, any casino that has these chips can change payback whenever they like.

The catch, though, is that many gambling jurisdictions require the casinos to report when they alter a game’s RTP. This process requires that a casino manager spends time filling out paperwork.

Some slot machines operate on downloadable software, which comes from a central server. In these cases, the casino doesn’t have to open a game and change a chip.

Instead, they can simply download the software to alter RTP. But just as with replacing an EPROM chip, casinos need to follow their jurisdiction’s guidelines when changing server-based payout percentages.

For starters, gambling venues can’t make these changes when somebody is playing a machine. Furthermore, they have to wait a certain amount of time before altering any game settings.

What’s the Common Belief about Casinos Changing Slots Payback?

Some slots players believe that casino owners and management can change RTP across the board by simply flipping a switch. This theory has been furthered propelled bythe rise of video slots.

Very few land-based slot machines operate on mechanical reels and levers these days. Instead, casinos mainly feature video slots that run through software programs.

Of course, gamblers’ fears are only magnified when dealing with online casinos. These websites are headquartered far away from most players, leading to concerns that internet casinos can do anything they want to slots payback without anybody knowing.

But what else beyond suspected greed leads players to believe that casinos will cheat them through lower RTP?

A driving force behind conspiracy theories is how slot machines are the streakiest casino game. Most slots only see players win around 20-40% of their spins, even with every payline activated.

Such low hit frequency leads gamblers to experience long losing streaks. In turn, these cold streaks cause players to theorize that casinos have changed RTP.

What’s the Real Story Behind Casinos’ Ability to Alter RTP?

Contrary to what some players believe, casinos don’t simply alter payout percentages whenever they feel like winning more money. Instead, gambling venues must go through the proper channels.

Earlier I covered how many jurisdictions require casinos to submit paperwork before changing the EPROM chip inside a slot machine.

Not only does an important employee waste time filling out paperwork and sending it to the local gambling control commission, but the casino must also pay for another EPROM chip. These chips are expensive, meaning it’s not economically viable to continue changing RTP.

Of course, server-based slot machines can be altered faster without opening machines. But there are deterrents from doing this as well.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board, for example, requires that casinos wait until a slot machine has been idle for at least four minutes before changing RTP. The slot must sit for another four minutes before it can be played after the change (8 minutes total). The Gaming Control Board also demands that casinos leave a message on the screen showing that the game’s programming is undergoing alterations.

Some Las Vegas slot machines are so popular that they have people standing off to the side waiting to play. Therefore, casinos can’t change RTP for these games until things slow down in the middle of the night.

More importantly, gambling establishments don’t like tying up games and preventing people from playing. This creates another situation where it doesn’t make economic sense to put games down for maintenance just to constantly change payback.

Casino employees’ time is valuable, especially with regard to managers. It would be a waste of resources and manpower to alter RTP from machine to machine.

Of course, none of this subsides fears that online casinos can change payout percentages as they please. But gaming sites face roadblocks in

Can Casinos Manipulate Slot Machines