How Slot Machines Are Tested and Approved: Behind the Scenes of Game Certification

Slot machines are arguably the world’s most popular casino games. They’re also the most severely regulated games in the industry. Since slots are games of luck or chance, they’reThere are occasions when we here at ReadyBetGo want to bring you interesting facts about the gambling industry  When something catches our eye, we will publish it for your enjoyment. 
  always at risk of being rigged and unfair. You see, online slots like those at Ice casino aren’t just developed and then made available to the public. They must pass through a thorough accreditation process to meet various technical and regulatory requirements. This process is vital for ensuring their reliability, fairness, and security and encompasses an exhaustive series of testing procedures. We’ll explore what goes on as pokies are tested, approved, and released below. This will give you insights into the steps taken to uphold the integrity of gambling and protect players.

Importance of Slots Testing

Before any slot is approved and released for public use, it must go through a comprehensive certification process that serves the following crucial purposes:

• Player’s trust. Slots must undergo a meticulous accreditation process to show players they’re fair, trustworthy, and safe. This helps raise the confidence of players and attract new ones.
• Fairness. Rigorous slot testing ensures the random number generator is indeed random and not manipulated by any means.
• Security. Slot testing and certification also ensure the security of the game, protecting player information and curbing unauthorized tampering or access.
• Compliance. Pokies must comply with various standards and regulations set by gaming jurisdictions and authorities. The test and certification process ensures the slots meet operational and legal requirements, letting them get approved for specific markets.

The Slots Testing Process

To ensure slots are safe to play and fair, they must undergo testing and approval by an independent regulator. The process is time-consuming and complex, but it’s necessary to protect players and uphold integrity in the gambling industry. Independent certification laboratories typically carry out this procedure. These labs must be accredited by recognized authorities, including SGS, Gaming Associates, BMM Testlabs, eCOGRA (eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance) and GLI (Gaming Laboratories International). The process typically involves:

• Submission. The developer submits the game to an independent certification lab for testing. This lab conducts an objective evaluation of the slot's adherence to regulatory standards. The process involves substantial documentation, including testing reports, legal compliance declarations, and technical specifications.
• Inspection. The independent certification lab inspects the slot game to ensure it meets all the necessary specifications. 
• Testing. During testing, the lab tests the slot to ensure it’s safe and fair to play. 
• Certification. Once the slot passes all the tests, it’s certified by the lab.

What Is Tested?

Slot machines are tested for various aspects by independent certification laboratories. These include:

• Game rules. Independent certification labs test the game rules to ensure they’re easy to understand. 
• RNG (random number generator). This is the be-all and end-all of a slot. It generates random numbers that determine each spin’s outcome. The certification laboratory will test an RNG to ensure it’s truly fair and random.
• Payout percentage. This refers to the sum of money the slot pays out over time. The certification lab will put the payout percentage to the test to ensure it meets all the stipulated regulations and is fair.
• Hardware. The certification lab will put the slot’s hardware to the test to ensure it’s durable and reliable.
• Software. The lab will test the slot game’s software to assess whether it’s free of vulnerabilities and errors.

Certification and Approval

When a slot machine passes all the necessary tests and audits, an accreditation or approval is issued by the relevant testing laboratory or gaming authority. This certification acts as a seal of approval, showing that the game has met all the required standards and could be legally and safely made available to slot enthusiasts. The accreditation process may take anywhere from several weeks to months, based on the schedule of the regulatory and testing authorities, the number of gaming jurisdictions involved, and the game’s complexity. Throughout this process, developers must be diligent and patient because any issues encountered during testing must be fixed before the game is approved and released. 

Ongoing Audits and Inspections

Slot testing doesn’t end at certification. Slots are subject to continual inspections and audits to ensure they maintain regulatory standards. This is a crucial step in maintaining the game’s integrity in the long term. If any problems occur after the certification of slots, they must be sorted out immediately. This might involve revisiting the game’s certifications if necessary or updating the game so that players continue to have a reliable and fair gaming experience.

Guaranteeing Trust

All casino slots must undergo comprehensive and rigorous testing before they’re certified and approved for play. This process is designed to uphold integrity in the gaming industry and protect players. From development to certification and approval, independent certification laboratories take each step seriously to ensure pokies are secure and fair and comply with all relevant requirements. As the gambling industry keeps evolving, so will slot game testing and certification. All in all, the commitment to player protection and fairness will always be the ultimate aim of certified slots.