Are Online Casinos Rigged? Here's What the Data Actually Shows

Q: Are mobile casino apps as safe as desktop casinos?

Playing slots, table games, and live casino games using casino apps and browser-based sites is just as safe as using your desktop. It’s all about the site you choose, not the device you use to play, so make sure you’re using a licensed casino

Q: What is RNG, and does it really make games fair?

Random Number Generators (RNGs) are special algorithms that randomly determine which symbols land on the reels every time you click on the spin button. There’s no way that anyone can interfere with the RNG at a legit online casino.

Q: Are online slots rigged to never pay out?

Legal online casinos only offer games by reputable providers, which aren’t rigged at all. You can check the Return to Player (RTP) percentage of the game to see how likely it is to pay out over a long period of time.

Q: Are sweepstakes casinos legal in the US?

In general, sweepstakes casinos are legal in the US, with the exception of a few states. Sweepstakes casinos are allowed in states that don’t currently have real money gambling, as they’re always free to play and you’re playing for virtual coins rather than cash.

Q: Which states have the safest regulated online casinos?

There are regulated online casinos in a small number of states: Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia are among them. Other states have legal online casino gambling at social casinos, but not real money sites. Globally, countries like the UK and Ireland (among others) offer safe casinos for their players too.

By Farah Barry

Apr 6th, 2026 7:55 AM EDT

Fact Checked By James Stoddart

Are Online Casinos Rigged? A Bookies.com guide

When you’re spending your own real money at a gambling site, it’s fair to wonder, “Are online casinos rigged?” Losing streaks can feel frustrating and lead to questions about whether or not a casino is fixed to make sure that you don’t win. The simple answer is that there’s a difference between a casino being unfair and “rigged” and a casino that’s designed to profit.

While regulated online casinos use Random Number Generators and have certifications to show they’re fair, the games still carry a house edge, which is how the casino makes a profit. Unlicensed casinos, on the other hand, aren’t always fair, and you don’t have a guarantee that you’ll get paid out.

So, how do you tell the difference between legit online casinos and ones that are rigged? We’ll tell you in our guide, plus we’ll let you know about some of the online casinos you can choose from safely.

TLDR: Online casinos aren't rigged, but the games on them do have a built-in return to player percentage, usually shortened to RTP. Payouts based on a lifetime of play are designed so the casino will be up slightly, but each individual spin of a slot or hand on a non-live table game will have an outcome determined by a random number generator.

Table of Contents

What Makes an Online Casino Rigged?
How to Spot a Rigged Online Casino
How Licensed Online Casinos Work
How Are Online Casinos Regulated?
Are Sweepstakes and Social Casinos Rigged?
How to Verify a Safe and Regulated Online Casino
Licensed and Regulated Online Casinos
So, Are Online Casinos Rigged?
Final Thoughts
Always Gamble Responsibly

What Makes an Online Casino Rigged?

One way that an online casino can be rigged is by not properly disclosing the house edge or falsifying the figures. We’ve mentioned house edge already, but just in case you’re not familiar with the term, it simply refers to the money that an online casino keeps after your winnings have been paid out. In other words, it’s the inverse of the Return to Player (RTP) percentage of a game.

Every online casino game is designed to make a profit for the casino over time, which is why you’ll never hear of a game with 100% RTP. It’s usually easy to see the RTP for a game within the game info: for slots, it’s generally between 95% and 97%, but for table games it can be as high as 99%.

If we take European Roulette as an example, there are 37 possible outcomes, as the wheel is numbered 0 - 36. Because of the single zero, the house edge is around 2.7%, whereas in American Roulette the wheel has two zeroes, leading to a house edge of 5.26%. Over time, the casino will come out on top, simply because of the math.

So, the question remains: are online casinos rigged? No, top online casinos like the ones we recommend are not rigged in any way, as they all offer fair games where slots use Random Number Generators and live casino games operate transparently, just like in a real casino. The house edge is the way the casino makes money, but not a way of rigging the outcome of games.

How to Spot a Rigged Online Casino

There are a couple of major red flags to look out for, which will immediately let you know if a casino is rigged:

No verifiable license number in the footer: a legit online casino will always have their licensing info readily available, including the licensing authority, license number and the year it was issued. If a site doesn’t have licensing details or goes to great lengths to try to hide them, it should be an immediate red flag.
Withdrawal delays with no KYC explanation: Rigged slots sites will do anything to keep from paying out, so you might notice that withdrawals stay pending for weeks and never actually arrive in your account.
Missing or unpublished RTP data: Legit online casinos sometimes have a list of the RTP of every game on the site, or alternatively you can find it within the game info. If an online casino is rigged, they won’t want to show you the RTP. If you’re struggling to find the RTP for a specific game, chances are the game isn’t made by a reputable provider and doesn’t have verifiable RTP.
Claimed RTPs above 98.5% with no audit certificate: The average RTP for slot games is 96%, but there are a few games where it’s higher. However, if an online casino claims that most of the games pay out over 98.5%, you should immediately look for a certificate from eCOGRA or iTechLabs to confirm.
Frequent "technical issues" during winning sessions: If an online casino is rigged, the games might glitch pretty often. You may think you’re about to get a payout, before the game crashes and completely closes your session.
No third-party audit badges, or badges that don't link to a verification page: If an online casino isn’t rigged, it should have details of the audits carried out on their games, to make sure they’re fair. Even a “certification” with no actual details behind it is suspicious.

When you’re signing up at any new online casino, it’s helpful to know how to see if a site is rigged. The safest option is to choose a site we recommend, because we’ve already gone through all of these steps to make sure the sites we recommend are totally legit.

If you're playing in a regulated market like the US or the UK, we recommend sticking to licensed casinos only. A valid license means the operator has passed strict fairness checks and is required to disclose RTP accurately.

Adam Kenny Online Gambling Expert

How Licensed Online Casinos Work

Licensed online casino apps and sites have several measures in place to make sure that your whole experience is completely safe. Here’s what to look out for.

Random Number Generators (RNG)

Random Number Generators are sophisticated computer algorithms used to determine which symbols land on the reels every time you spin. Results are generated thousands of times per second, and each one is independent of any others. That means that absolutely no one (including the casino, game developer, or player) can have any influence over which symbols land. The best slot games come from providers like NetEnt and Microgaming, studios that have excellent reputations for fairness.

Return to Player (RTP)

RTP is the amount of money wagered on a game that should return to players over a long period of time. For example, if a slot has 96% RTP, for every $100 wagered, about $96 should return. This figure is set over the course of millions of spins, so it’s not a guarantee of a win during a single gaming session, but it’s an indication that the game does pay out. When a casino hands out free spins promos, it’s a good sign that they’re confident in the fairness of their games. Progressive slots tend to have lower RTP, but the jackpot prizes are always independently verified, so the prize pots and payouts can never be rigged.

Independent audits

Rigged online casinos don’t have certifications from third party organizations like eCOGRA, iTech Labs or GLI. These companies audit and verify the RNG of a game before it’s released to players, so it’s a very important assurance that a site is legit.

How Are Online Casinos Regulated?

Now that we’ve answered the key question of “are online casinos rigged?”, it’s time to talk about exactly how legal sites are regulated in different parts of the world.

Legit online casinos are approved by dedicated licensing bodies, which ensure that the sites meet certain standards when it comes to game fairness, player verification, payouts and responsible gambling. Depending on where you’re located, the relevant body for your region will be different, for example while the Malta Gaming Authority license covers a lot of European countries, West Virginia online casino players need to choose a site that is specifically approved by the state’s regulator.

A few regulators really stand out, for their dedication to ensuring that casinos provide an excellent experience for you. These are a few to look out for:

Regulator	Jurisdiction	What it Means for You
UK Gambling Commission (UKGC)	United Kingdom	- Strictest customer protections globally - Strong focus on responsible gambling ID - checks and affordability checks in place - Some gameplay features, like auto-play and bonus buy, are not allowed
Malta Gaming Authority (MGA)	Malta / EU	- Highly regarded in Europe - Good player protection and verification are needed before withdrawals - Most widely used license for international online casinos
Curaçao eGaming	Curaçao (covering multiple regions worldwide)	- Less strict than some other regulators - Common amongst newer and crypto-focused casinos - Some level of player verification
State boards (DGE, PGCB, MGCB)	US states	- Restricted to particular states (e.g., MI, NJ, PA, WV) - Operators must be licensed in the state to operate - Extremely strict regulation. - Customer verification checks in place

If you’re in the US, you’ll be glad to hear that states with real money online casino gambling operate under some of the most rigorous standards in the whole world. Online casino regulations are set at a state rather than a federal level, which gives each state the freedom to enforce its preferred laws.

To operate in each state, a casino site needs to have a specific license, which doesn’t apply to other states. For example, Michigan online casinos have to be approved by the Michigan Gaming Control Board, while in New Jersey, it’s the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement.

Gambling authorities can impose heavy fines on online casinos that break rules, such as publishing misleading payout data, using insecure payment methods, or misreporting finances. You can be certain that when you play at Michigan, New Jersey, West Virginia, or Pennsylvania online casinos, you’ll have a totally safe experience.

If you have an issue with an online casino, file a complaint with the regulator, who can investigate unfair situations like unpaid winnings or game malfunctions.

James Stoddart Online Casino Expert

Sweepstakes casinos operate differently to real money casinos, so the whole legal model is different. Sweepstakes or social casinos don’t need to be licensed in the same way as real money casinos, because it’s always free to play and you’ll play with virtual coins rather than real cash. Sweepstakes casinos can operate in states where real money online gambling isn’t legal.

As they don’t have a real money gambling element, social casinos are seen as a lower-risk option, but they’re still not rigged.

Sweepstakes casinos generally use two special currencies: Gold Coins (GC) and Sweepstakes Coins (SC). While there’s an option to top up your Gold Coins balance by purchasing a package, the sites also give out lots of free Gold coins, so you don’t have to spend any money to play. You can also get free SC coins (they can’t be bought), and if you win enough of them, you might be able to redeem them for real prizes.

New social casinos open up pretty regularly, and before you sign up, it’s important to make sure it’s legit. The easiest way is simply to choose a site from our list. You should also verify that the site is owned by a reputable operator and that customer reviews are generally good. It’s also helpful if a social casino offers games from verified providers like NetEnt, Pragmatic Play, and Hacksaw Gaming.

How to Verify a Safe and Regulated Online Casino

Finding a legit online casino might seem a bit overwhelming, but it’s actually easier than you might think. Just follow our step-by-step guide, and you’ll be claiming your bonus and playing the best slots games before you know it.

Find the license number: This should always be displayed in the footer of the site. You can click through or cross-reference the number with the issuer’s site, to make sure that it matches what the casino says.
Check for audit badges: Look for badges from the likes of eCOGRA, iTech Labs, or GLI to certify that the games have been audited for fairness. These should click through to an actual certificate (it’s easy enough to just add a fake badge).
Look up RTP data: You should be able to find the RTP for any game very easily. Reputable sites often have a list of each game’s RTP accessible via the footer of the site, or alternatively the game info page for a particular title should show the RTP.
Read expert casino reviews: Reading reviews is a good way to get an idea of whether or not a casino is rigged. Independent review sites check things like licensing, RTP, payout speed, and customer support before recommending them, so our reviews of top online casinos are a great place to start. You can also read customer reviews (for example, on the App Store), but make sure that you look for patterns covering issues like withdrawal delays or technical glitches, rather than individual grievances about not winning.
Check app store source: If you’re downloading any real money or sweepstakes casino apps, you should only ever do so from a reliable source. The App Store and Play Store are the ideal places to download apps, or directly from the casino’s website. Licensed casino apps are just as safe and fair as the desktop sites - the device you’re using doesn’t change anything.
Check for new casino audit history: A brand new online casino doesn’t have the same track record as a more established site. If you’re using a newly launched casino, it’s even more important to check when they got their license and whether testing has been carried out to approve the fairness of the games.

Licensed and Regulated Online Casinos

Now that you know exactly what to avoid, we’ve got a list of some of the best online casinos, which are totally fair and safe. Remember, regulated casinos vary depending on where you live, so make sure the site is legal in your state or region.

So, Are Online Casinos Rigged?

Licensed online casinos, for example, sites approved in the UK and NJ online casinos, aren’t rigged in any way. To obtain and maintain a license from a legitimate body, casinos need to prove that they use industry-standard RNG technology and that the games are properly audited to make sure that they’re totally fair. While house edge is the way online casinos make money, it doesn’t mean that the games are rigged or that the site is scamming you. Remember, you can look for audit certificates to confirm the RNG, and you’ll always be able to see the RTP of an individual game.

Final Thoughts

The risk lies in choosing a casino that’s not regulated, as you have no protection and no guarantee that the games are fair and that you’ll actually get paid out if you land a win. You can avoid unlicensed sites by only choosing legal and regulated online casinos. These regulated online casinos must adhere to strict guidelines with regards game fairness and can be trusted by players. At an unregulated online casino, you're taking a massive risk.

Always Gamble Responsibly

Playing online casino games should always be fun. You should never play just to win money, because chances are you might be disappointed. If you need some advice or support on how to play responsibly, you can get in touch with resources like 1-800-GAMBLER or ncpgambling.org.

Are Online Casinos Rigged? Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if an online casino is licensed?

Legal online casinos have their licensing details displayed prominently in the footer of the site. You can look for the license number and verify it yourself on the authority’s website to make sure the site is legit.

Are mobile casino apps as safe as desktop casinos?

What is RNG, and does it really make games fair?

Are online slots rigged to never pay out?

Are sweepstakes casinos legal in the US?

Which states have the safest regulated online casinos?

About the Author

Farah Barry

More About Farah

Farah is an online casino expert, having worked with one of the UK's biggest gambling brands, before turning her attention to freelance writing. When she's not writing about all of the latest casino and slot releases, you'll find her planning her next trip to Las Vegas.