Gaming Fairness And Testing Companies

 

Every online gambling site available on the market will inform you that all their games are safe and fair, giving you the impression that the results are random.

While this is often the case, there are independent labs and companies that are in charge of testing the games and systems of these casinos, so no shady business takes place behind the scenes.

 

What’s Fairness When It Comes to Casino Games?

For an online casino game, be it an online pokie or an RNG card and table game to be deemed fair, it must meet the following criteria:

  • Randomness factor: Every outcome and result in the game must be based purely on chance.

  • Non-tamperability: The online casino should have no means or ways of manipulating the games and their results.

The main aim of gaming testing companies is to verify rigorously these two fundamental principles. They do this in a number of manners.

To determine that the results and outcomes of the games are random, they test out the theoretical RTP (payout percentage). They do this by running extensive trials of casino games and online pokies, millions of times, to make sure that the RTP aligns with the actual outcomes. If the results match, then the games earn a seal of fairness and can be provided and opened up to online casino players.

In order to test out the randomness factor, they also run checks on the Random Number Generator software. They make sure that this software is adequately implemented and kept separate from the web servers of the casino. This segregation is important in preventing any manipulation of the RNG and protecting the fairness of the games.

By running these tests and methods, online casino sites help maintain the integrity of their games, thus building a strong element of trust with players. For players, this also means that real money gambling is being run in a fair and transparent manner.

This independent verification is of vital importance for players to have trust in the site gambling sites they play on, especially when real money is on the line. You may be wondering who these companies and labs are and what their main role is. Even if you have heard of a name or two, chances are you may not know the full extent of the work that goes behind the scenes.

Why Licensors And Gaming Testing Labs Are Important to Players

As a player, licensors and testing labs play a crucial role in ensuring a fair and secure online gambling experience.

Licensors are governing authorities that monitor and regulate gambling authorities within specific legal jurisdictions. They ensure that casinos and software game developers adhere to strict standards thus protecting players’ rights and interests.

When you play at a licensed casino, you can also trust it to operate in a transparent manner. Even so, in case of disputes or issues, licensed casinos offer a structured process for resolution.

On the other hand, the importance of testing labs should not be underestimated. Testing labs rigorously evaluate casino games, including their software and random number generators to ensure that the games are fair and unbiased.

The labs also access security measures, data handling practices and encryption protocols. This means that player information always stays confidential.

Testing labs also verify the randomness of outcomes and payout percentages. This transparency builds trust among players.

Testing Labs For Casinos Operating In Australia

iTech Labs
iTech Labs

iTech Labs is a leading independent software company that is based in Melbourne, Australia. Similar to other companies in this list, it specialises in testing out a variety of online systems, including casino and poker rooms.

The consultants at this company boast more than 50 years of combined experience between them. The company has offices located in the United States, Australia and Europe. This enables it to test out online gambling sites under various gambling licences, including the Malta Gaming Authority, the UK Gambling Commission, Gibraltar, Alderney, Spain, Italy and Denmark amongst others.

The only licensing body that the company does not cover is Curacao, but this could change in the future.

eCOGRA
eCOGRA

eCOGRA stands for eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance. It is one of the main key players in the online gambling world. The company was established in 2003 in the United Kingdom, and it became synonymous with fairness and trustworthiness.

Its main role goes above and beyond testing. It also acts as a regulatory body that offers its seal of approval to various online gambling sites that meet its rigorous requirements.

eCOGRA also provides a number of dispute resolution services, thus increasing player trust.

Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) logo
Gaming Laboratories International (GLI)

GLI was established more than 25 years ago by a team of professionals with several years of experience in the industry. GLI is considered one of the most prominent game testers all over the world, thanks to its team of mathematicians, engineers and quality assurance experts who test out the fairness and the random results of the games on offer.

The company is trusted by regulators in more than 5000 different jurisdictions globally, making this company highly fair.

The GLI Group has also acquired all outstanding shares in iTech Global Pty Ltd, thus maintaining its position as a global leader in gaming testing.

QUINEL
QUINEL

QUINEL is an independent auditing company that has provided a wide range of services to gaming companies for several years. Since kick-starting operations more than a decade ago, QUINEL has established itself as a reliable independent auditor that is run by a team of professionals with several years of experience to boot.

The Malta National Accreditation Board currently accredits QUINEL to act as an inspection body, a certification body as well as a testing laboratory in a number of major regulated jurisdictions.

When it comes to online gambling operators, QUINEL conducts both inspection and testing services that cover an array of aspects, including security, gaming and mathematical models. The company’s testing focuses on the Random Number Generators and ensuring that both the software and hardware RNGs are completely random.

The company also runs compliance programs for various companies in multiple jurisdictions.

BMM Testlabs
BMM Testlabs

BMM Testlabs is easily recognised and is one of the oldest independent auditing and testing companies in the industry. Ever since they started their operations in Melbourne, Australia in 1981, the company has been establishing itself with offices in more than 10 different countries with their compliance services licensed and recognised in more than 400 different jurisdictions.

Besides testing games for randomness and fairness, BMM Testlabs also offers consultant services to operators, gaming infrastructure, policy consulting, operating standards and more.

RSM International
RSM International

RSM International is the 6th biggest network of its kind. It is an independent accounting and consulting firm that is represented in more than 90 countries with 700 offices. It provides auditing services, in addition to consulting, accounting, tax and specialist advisory services.

The company is also quite active in the gambling industry online, which greatly benefits from independent auditing services.

NMI
NMI

NMI is a leading auditing company that tests, controls and runs quality assurance tests that are in line with the various protocols outlined for regulations, software game suppliers and gambling operators.

The company has more than four decades of experience under its belt, making it one of the longest-standing auditing and testing companies in the gambling sector. The company was acquired by the GLI Group in 2017.

NMI has successfully built a strong network of testing labs all over the world, including countries such as the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy and Canada. These services cover a wide range of tests, including mathematical models, Random Number Generators, lotteries and gaming systems amongst others.

The combined firms, namely GLI and NMLI provide a good number of high-quality services to industry key stakeholders. NMI is no longer an independent entity, but it continues to operate as part of a large group, which also means that they have access to a bigger number of resources.

Trisigma
Trisigma

Trisigma is a company that is made up of experienced gaming experts. The company provides a number of services to its clientele, that includes licensing, testing and compliance services. Its main headquarters are based in the Netherlands, but the company also has offices in Spain.

The company has a number of modern labs with the latest testing equipment requirements to test and approve gaming systems. Trisigma, as a result, works with both online and land-based casino operators. Its services are run by a team of experienced industry professionals.

Testing, inspection, certification, auditing as well as forensics and regulatory services are some of the main tasks of this company.

SIQ
SIQ

SIQ provides a number of testing services to both land-based and online gambling operators. Its main tasks include running quality and fairness checks as well as issuing compliance certificates.

SIQ Gaming Technology is an independent testing company that has headquarters in Ljubljana Slovenia, but it also has offices in North and Latin America, Asia and Africa.

The team running the show understand that gaming is an important aspect of the entertainment industry, so it is important that it is properly monitored, controlled and regulated to minimise any illegal actions.

SIQ provides high-quality compliance tests by following the complex rules and regulations of the jurisdiction of the companies it is testing.

Besides running lab tests such as randomness and fairness, the company also runs on-site inspections.

Price Waterhouse Coopers
Price Waterhouse Coopers

Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) assures transparency and great standards of corporate governance across various industries across the globe. One of the main industries it operates in is the online gambling.

As its main work, PWC audits financial accounting reports, companies’ human resource management, taxes and performance improvement consultation.

TST
TST

Technical Systems Testing (TST) was founded in 1993, and it currently operates from Vancouver, Canada. It is internationally recognised as an Accredited Testing Facility (ATG) offering both consulting and testing services.

Besides working for land-based casinos, it also offers its services to remote-based gambling industries, lotteries, wagering, IT and e-commerce industries.

TST is a fully independent company that has a close working relationship with suppliers, industry operators, regulators and manufacturers to ensure that industry standards are met.

It also offers random number generator evaluations and compliance testing, website evaluations, compliance testing, games evaluations, consultation, compliance support and transfers of approval.

gaming Associates
Gaming Associates

Gaming Associates has been operating since 1990 helping companies in the gambling and betting industry. It not only provides testing for compliance with regulation and randomness but it also protects players by ensuring that all games are run in a safe and fair manner.

SQS
SQS

SQS is one of the latest software quality specialists in the world, having been active in the industry for more than 3 decades. The group kicked off its journey in Germany in 1982 but now operates in various countries.

While gaming is only a small part of its business, they have worked with some of the largest companies in the online gambling world to ensure that real money games meet regulatory standards, quality and fairness.

QALAB
QALAB

QALAB offers a good number of auditing and testing services for operators, including mathematic checks, random number generators, compliance consultations and support.

Also known as Quality Assurance Laboratories, QALAB runs international testing facilities for both gaming operators and activities. It also deals with a number of land-based game providers, wagering sites and interactive operators.

The company is still relatively new on the market. However, since it has been in operation, QALAB has achieved a solid market position as well as partnerships with operators in gambling.

Thawte New
Thawte

Thawte was launched in 1995 in South Africa. It became one of the first Certification Authorities to sell public SSL certificates, which was later acquired by VeriSign.

Thawte provides a good number of services to the online gambling industry, including running a t-refer referral program, two-year certifications, SSL123 encryption certification and securing internationalised domain names in digital certificates.

Gambling Auditors: FAQs

Gail Banavage avatar
Gail Banavage
Casino Content Specialist

Gail brings 10 years of casino writing experience to CasinoAus. Her keen eye for detail scours the terms to make sure her readers only get the very best value for money. Backed by a journalistic career and a degree in communications she transforms her industry insights into honest and transparent casino information that counts.

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