Creating a new slot game isn’t as simple as coming up with a theme, adding some bonus features and uploading it to an online casino.
For online slots in regulated markets, the finished game has to prove that everything actually works as advertised. In the UK, for example, the Gambling Commission currently has 13 approved test houses that can test gambling software against its technical requirements.
And if the game doesn’t pass, it doesn’t get released until the problem is fixed. Read on to find out more.
How an Initial Game Concept Can Lead to Rejection or Approval
Developers first might decide they want five reels, cascading wins, free spins, a progressive jackpot and an RTP of 96% as part of the game concept.
Nothing particularly exciting happens from a certification point of view at that stage. The problems normally come when developers turn the idea into an actual game.
The math has to match what players see on screen. Bonus rules need to work properly, advertised prizes have to be possible, and the RNG needs to map outcomes in line with the game’s agreed probabilities. So a game can look good but still fail testing, or vice versa.
If something doesn’t match, the developer fixes it and sends it back for testing.
Criteria For Slot Game Certification
Most certification testing basically checks that the slot does what it says it does.
Testing can cover:
- RNG operation
- Theoretical RTP
- Actual RTP through simulations
- Paytables
- Bonus features
- Game rules
- Reel and symbol mathematics
- Mapping RNG values to game outcomes
- Software implementation
- Mobile or browser versions of the game
The RNG gets plenty of attention. Testing labs can review the RNG documentation and source code, look for known weaknesses and statistically test huge amounts of raw output.
RTP also has to make sense. If the game says it has a theoretical RTP of 96%, testing should confirm that the mathematics and software actually support that figure.
And certification isn’t always the end of it. Regulators can ask for continued monitoring once games are live.
Who Certifies Slot Games For Regulated Release?
Independent testing laboratories normally do the technical testing rather than the casino or developer simply approving their own game.
Some of the bigger names you’ll see include:
- Gaming Laboratories International (GLI)
- BMM Testlabs
- eCOGRA
- Quinel
- Eclipse Compliance Testing
But the lab has to be approved for the market where the game is going live. A certificate from one testing company doesn’t automatically mean the game can be released everywhere.
Approved test houses have to meet accreditation requirements, including, for instance, ISO/IEC 17025 standards. Operators are also responsible for making sure the laboratory they choose is approved for the type of gambling product being tested.
Once testing is finished, the relevant reports have to be provided before a new game or RNG is released in the UK regulated market.
So by the time you open a regulated slot and press spin, quite a lot has already happened behind it. The game has gone from an idea to mathematics, software, testing and finally certification before players ever get near it.