How Are Online Bingo Games Tested For Fairness?

Over the last few years, online bingo has soared in popularity, particularly in the UK, which has seen many new sites become available for players.

Most of these sites have a vast array of bingo games to enjoy which often vary in type such as 90 ball bingo and 80 ball bingo, while some also have their own unique games that are only available at that particular site.

While these games are of course fun for players, there should be a number of things that you consider and are aware of before signing up to a bingo site and playing, especially regarding whether they are fair and how these are tested to make sure that they are.

Things to be aware of

First and foremost is that when you sign up to a bingo site is to make sure that it is licensed by a regulator, such as the UKGC (UK Gambling Commission). This effectively gives it the seal of approval and means that it is constantly checked to make sure that the site is adhering to strict regulations that are in place for the protection of players. You can find many regulated bingo sites at the online bingo comparison portal BingoSites which has something for everyone. 

When it comes to making sure that each of the games is fair, those sites which are licensed will also invariably be the subject of scrutiny from test houses. These are independent agencies that closely analyse each aspect of every game to make sure that the RNG (Random Number Generator) works how it should.

What are the main test houses?

In the online gambling industry, there are a number of different test houses that work closely with some of the biggest brands. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest ones and how they operate.

eCOGRA

Arguably the most well known, eCOGRA was established in 2003 and has offices in London and Malta. Working closely with the software providers and licensing regulators, they also inspect and test games of every brand that they work with, in multiple territories.

Having tested and approved many thousands of games over the years, with new ones being created every year, they have steadily built up a strong reputation in the industry and are known as being one of the flagship agencies. Most bingo sites will often have their ‘eCOGRA’ logo somewhere on their site, which helps to provide reassurance to players.

iTECH Labs

Headquartered in Australia, this company has been around since 2004 and has many different clients around the world. They also work on a range of different products, from bingo games, online slots, and table games especially poker, in addition to sports betting. 

Offering audits on a regular basis to clients, if you see their logo on a bingo site, you can be sure that the games on the site have been tested recently for fairness.

GLI

Having been in operation since 1989, this is one of the oldest around and operates in well over 480 jurisdictions. With a strong reputation for hiring some of the best consultants in the world, this means that they have a lot of credibility in the industry. 

Their strength is arguably the turnaround time for testing each different product, including bingo games and online slots, and have a foolproof methodology that is constantly adapted in line with industry trends.