Online casino games have really taken off since the turn of the millennium, with all the classics now available in digital form. But the shift from land-based to online casino platforms required the support of many different pieces of technology, to help keep games both secure and fair.
Players can rest assured that any reputable, modern casino online is subject to rigorous auditing and regulation. Advanced technology allows these platforms to keep players and their data safe, as well as maintaining the integrity of their games.
So, let’s take a look at just some of the technology powering online casino games.
Secure Socket Layer encryption
Underpinning pretty much all online security is the technology of Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption. This was first developed in 1995 with the aim of ensuring privacy and data integrity on the internet and any secure internet site will use it – shown by the https in their address bar.
Encryption ensures that all data transmitted between the player’s device and the casino’s server is protected from unauthorised access and kept secure. SSL offers a strong layer of data protection, making it essentially impossible for the data to be intercepted or tampered with.
SSL has largely been replaced by its successor, Transport Layer Security (TLS), which is an updated protocol. But even when talking about TLS plenty of people still use the term SSL.
Two-factor authentication
Another common internet security feature you’ve probably come across before is two-factor authentication (or 2FA). This offers an additional layer of security when accessing online accounts, helping to verify that the individual using the account is really its owner.
Obviously, strong passwords are the first line in protecting an account from unauthorised access. But enabling two-factor authentication on an account adds in a second verification step, usually in the form of a one-time code sent over SMS or email.
The extra step to logging in added by two-factor authentication means that even if a password is compromised, the account remains secure.
Random number generators
Moving away from the security of player data, another important piece of technology that online casino games rely on is the random number generator (RNG). These computer algorithms are what keep online games fair by replicating the random nature of games played with physical components.
An RNG will generate strings of hundreds to thousands of numbers in any given second, with each number corresponding to a symbol on the slot reels, a pocket on the Roulette wheel or a card in the playing deck. When play is initiated, the algorithm will lock in its current numbers to determine the outcome of the game action.
This makes it impossible to predict the outcome of any game using RNG, with every result being unbiased and entirely free of external influence. As RNGs are regularly audited by independent authorities, it is assured that their outcomes remain reliably random in nature.
Each of these technologies work to keep online casino games safe and fair for all players. And as technology continues to evolve, we could see even more ways to ensure the safety of players and their data emerge.
