How the casino's random number generator (RNG) works
Introduction: Why RNG is the heart of any game
In online casinos, every slot spin, virtual card giveaway, or digital dice roll is determined by a random number generator (RNG). His task is to produce unpredictable, statistically uniform numbers so that each spin/distribution is independent. If the RNG is honest and properly implemented, the game is unbiased, and the result is a matter of probability and payoff mathematics.
1) What RNGs are
1. 1 Pseudorandom (PRNG)
Algorithms that create a sequence of numbers based on seed. The sequence is deterministic, but with good sitting and algorithm, it is unpredictable in practice. Examples of classes of algorithms: PCG, Xoshiro, AES-CTR/ChaCha20-based streams (used as cryptographic PRNG), less often Mersenne Twister (fast, but not cryptographic).
Pros: speed, reproducibility for tests.
Cons: With a weak seat or an outdated algorithm, predictability is possible.
1. 2 Cryptographic PRNG (CSPRNG)
PRNGs resistant to trying to predict the next number even with knowledge of a portion of the sequence. Often built on top of cryptographic primitives (AES-CTR, ChaCha20). Standard for real money and online games.
1. 3 Hardware (TRNG)
Entropy is taken from a physical source (for example, electronic noise). Online is more often used for seeding CSPRNG, and not directly for each sample - this is faster and more convenient.
2) How randomness is formed: seeding and entropy
Seed - the starting "spark" on which the entire PRNG sequence depends.
Sources of entropy: OS system RNGs, hardware modules, time events, network noise, etc.
Good practice: Regularly shuffling the RNG state with new portions of entropy and splitting streams for different games/tables to eliminate correlation leaks.
3) How RNG turns into a game result
1. RNG produces a number from a very large range (for example, 0... 2 ³² − 1).
2. The game projects it into the right outcome space:- Slot: selection of symbols on reels (taking into account virtual "weights" of symbols).
- Cards: Deck shuffle (Fisher-Yates algorithm) and alternate hand.
- Roulette: Choosing a sector of the wheel for the digital version.
- 3. Next, the paytable and rules are used - they specify RTP and volatility.
Important: RNG is responsible for randomness, and RTP/variance is responsible for the economics of the game. Honest RNG can work in a slot with any volatility tuned by the studio: rare, but large winnings or frequent, but small ones are a matter of payout design, not generator "winding up."
4) RTP, volatility and RNG - who is responsible for what
RNG: Makes the outcome unbiased and independent.
RTP (Return to Player) - long-term expected return, specified by the paytable and event frequencies.
Volatility: distribution of winnings over time (often-small vs rarely-large).
The myth is destroyed: "A long minus slot means soon "must" give." No, it isn't. The RNG does not "remember" past spins. Each spin is independent.
5) How RNG is tested: certification and tests
Reliable operators and providers are independently tested in specialized laboratories (example: GLI, BMM Testlabs, eCOGRA, iTech Labs). What is usually checked:- Statistical tests (NIST SP 800-22, Dieharder, etc.) for uniformity, lack of correlations and failures.
- Correct integration of RNG into the game (correct mixing, mapping numbers to outcomes).
- Version control: hash sums of executable files, digital signatures of assemblies, deploy procedures.
- RTP ranges - that the actual return of the game over a long distance falls within the declared tolerance interval.
6) Where RNG is used (and where it is not)
Online slots, video poker, virtual roulette/dice - pure RNG.
Live dealers (live) - physical decks/wheels/balls; randomness is provided by mechanics and real chafers (sometimes with automatic cipher machines). The RNG here manages only minor interface things, not the outcome of a physical event.
7) "Provably fair" in crypto casino: how a player can check the outcome
Many crypto games publish a server side (hashed in advance), and the player sets the client side. A nonce (counter) is added for each round. After the round, the server reveals its seed, and anyone can recalculate the hash function/RNG stream and make sure the result matches. Scheme:1. The server shows the hash (server_seed) before the game.
2. The player sets the client_seed; round uses (server_seed, client_seed, nonce).
3. After a series of rounds server_seed the server reveals → the player checks that the hash matches and the outcomes are reproducible.
This increases transparency, but does not negate the importance of classical certification and infrastructure control.
8) Typical myths and misconceptions
Hot/cold slots. Chance does not know how to "warm up" or "cool down." Visible batches are a normal manifestation of dispersion.
"Casino tweaks in real time." For licensed operators, this is practically impossible: certified assemblies, hash control, log auditing and strict version change.
"After a big win, the game cuts a return." Paytable and RNG do not change due to your result; "swing" is a consequence of volatility.
"If you increase the rate slightly, the chance of a bonus will increase." The size of the bet affects the size of the win, and not the probability of the event (behind rare specially agreed mechanics).
9) Implementation security: how providers prevent RNG from being "broken"
Isolated RNG modules with access only through a strict API.
Regular reposting and entropy monitoring.
Separate RNG streams for different tasks.
Logs/trails for investigating incidents and matching outcomes with sid.
Change management: only signed builds, hash-freezing versions, external audit.
10) Mini slot math (figurative)
Suppose the symbols on a virtual reel have a "weight." RNG selects the drum position equally likely among all the "teeth." The final chance to put together a combination is a function of these weights and the number of drums. RNG does not "draw" a win, but randomly chooses a position; The "economy" of winnings is set precisely by weights and a paytable.
11) How a player evaluates honesty in practice: checklist
The game/operator is listed with a license and RNG certification.
Provider - known (check for test seals in game descriptions).
Rules, RTP and pay range are available; for crypto games - "provably fair" and side checking.
There are no strange "after bet" and "manual interventions."
There are limits, a game log and the ability to upload round history.
12) Short FAQ
Are RNG and RTP the same? No, it isn't. RNG - randomness mechanism; RTP - Long Distance Payout Setup.
Mersenne Twister norm? For games for money, CSPRNG is preferred over MT because of its crypto stability.
Can the next spin be predicted? If implemented correctly, no. Each spin is independent.
Why are there long "black stripes"? This is a normal variance. She doesn't "hoard the debt of luck."
The RNG is a technological guarantee of impartiality. Its honesty is ensured by a combination of a crypto-resistant algorithm, high-quality seeding, certification, proper integration and version auditing. Wins and losses are not distributed by the "mood" of the slot, but by the mathematics of payments and volatility, on top of which independent random selection works. Understanding this architecture, the player keeps the focus: checks the license and certification, remembers the variance, controls the limits - and does not fall into the traps of myths.