Provably Fair Technology in Online Gambling

Cryptocurrency has revolutionized the finance sector, but its impact goes far beyond a simpler way to send and receive money. It also extends to iGaming, as this technology provides the foundation for a concept known as Provably Fair, which guarantees random and completely transparent online gambling in a secure gaming environment.

What is Provably Fair?

A Provably Fair algorithm uses cryptography to prevent manipulation and guarantee fairness. Essentially, rather than relying on independently certified random number generators, it uses data that the player can check following each outcome, thus verifying that the result was fair and random.

It turns the concept of “trust us, we’re fair” into “check yourself and you’ll see”, and in doing so, it addresses some of the trust issues that players have with online gambling.

BGaming was the first major provider to launch Provably Fair games, and remains a pioneer in the sector, with various table games (roulette, dice, blackjack), crash games, and slots.

So, what is Provably Fair in simple terms? It’s a concept that uses cryptographic algorithms to provide verifiably fair outcomes and give players peace of mind.

Provably Fair vs Regular Casinos: Differences

Typically, online casinos use RNG (random number generation) to randomize the outcome of every game. It runs continuously and creates a long and random string of numbers; each one tied to a specific outcome. Although it’s legitimate and very tightly regulated, a regular casino can only prove its worth by working with an independent auditor, and in the end, the player needs to trust that the auditor has done its job correctly.

A Provably Fair casino, however, uses blockchain technology, which creates a public ledger with no centralized control. The player doesn’t need to rely on third parties and can validate the game session themselves.

Provably Fair vs RNG: Differences

For many years, random number generators have been the gold standard of fairness in iGaming. They provide complete randomness in games such as slots, virtual roulette, and virtual blackjack.

It’s like rolling a virtual dice whereby every number correlates to a specific result (1 = win, 2 = loss, etc.), but there are many numbers and they change every millisecond. When a player hits “spin”, the RNG chooses a number and calculates the result.

The gambling industry is tightly regulated, so all RNGs are certified, and checks are conducted on both the slot provider and the casino. However, these audits are conducted by third parties, so players can’t see the process and validate the results.

Provably Fair technologies provide that validation. It uses a server seed (provided by the casino), a client seed (provided by the player), and a nonce (used to keep track of the game round).

The player receives a hash of the server seed when they play and when they finish, and by comparing the two, they can confirm they played a fair game that was not manipulated by the casino.

How Provably Fair Works

So, how does Provably Fair work? Well, despite the complex algorithms at play, the process is actually quite simple.

It employs a combination of randomly generated numbers and a unique game identifier, known as “variables”. There are three key variables in the Provably Fair method:

• Player seed: A unique code that the player or casino generates before every game session.
  

• Server seed: A secret code hidden from the player.
  

• Nonce: A number starting from 0 or 1 that increases with every round, ensuring that each game is independent from the next.
  

Through a process called “hashing,” the seeds are turned into a long string of characters and then combined with the nonce to create a game outcome. At the end of play, the casino shares the server seed with the player, and they can then compare it with the player seed to verify that the game was fair.

Provably Fair technology uses the SHA-256 algorithm, a one-way hash function that turns input data into a fixed 256-bit hash value. It is nearly impossible to crack, so even though the outcome is predetermined, there’s no way for the player to hack it.

Verification Process

The first step to verifying that a Provably Fair game was indeed fair is to compare the player seed with the server seed.

The player is given a hashed seed and an unhashed seed, and must confirm that the latter is a hash of the former. Online hash calculator tools like Xorbin, LambdaTest, and Code Beautify will generate an SHA-256 hash of the unhashed seed, and if the two are the same, the results were not manipulated and the game was fair.

They can then validate each outcome using a Provably Fair verifier, available on most sites with Provably Fair games. The player provides the seeds, and the verifier translates them into a series of results that they can compare with the actual game results.

Security and “Unhackability”

The advanced encryption in Provably Fair casino games provides transparency for players and security for providers. The complex hashing techniques essentially make the technology unhackable.

SHA-256 was designed as a one-way system, which means it’s nearly impossible to crack, so even if the server seed is intercepted, it cannot be reverse-engineered using currently available technology.

For this reason, SHA-256 technology is also used in SSL certificates and password security, and plays a major role in securing transactions on the blockchain. Furthermore, the player seed protects the user’s data, thus abiding by strict data protection laws.

Can Provably Fair Be Cheated?

The seed contains the outcome of the game and is sent to all players at the beginning of each session, thus giving them access to the outcome. However, the data is encrypted, and as noted above, there is no feasible way to decrypt it and read the information within.

In that sense, the Provably Fair algorithm essentially gives all players a sealed envelope describing the outcome, but they can’t open it until the end of the game.

The nature of SHA-256 encryption makes Provably Fair games highly resistant to hacking attempts, with built-in anti-cheating measures that prevent manipulation by both the player and the casino.

There’s no reliable predictor, no system that can get around the encryption, and thus no way to “cheat” Provably Fair technology. Anyone looking to learn how to win Provably Fair games every time will need to crack an uncrackable code.

Implementation in Different Games

Provably Fair is used in various table games and slot games. To understand how these games work, we can look at some examples from BGaming’s Provably Fair games. Not only were they the first major provider to introduce the concept, but they also have some of the most popular Provably Fair slots and table games.

When the player opens BGaming’s Provably Fair American Roulette, they are presented with a widget that asks them to generate a client seed (from 0-37), after which the game generates a hash shown to the player.

At this point, the player has yet to place their bet, but the outcome is already determined and shown in the hash. This is shown to the player, but as it’s encrypted, they can’t decipher it to see the result.

At the end of the round, the player sees the hash result, and after running this through a hash generator, they can confirm that it’s the same as the number shown before the start of play.

Example:

Pregame seed:

{“server”:2,”game”: ”AmericanRoulette”, ”secret”: ”290fb3c9fbfc2afa5339bf27e5c25cbb”}

Postgame seed:

f88e5c0943740b0269b21347fa26c59b1717ee200584ac40e1c56edd49ad82b8

Verification: f88e5c0943740b0269b21347fa26c59b1717ee200584ac40e1c56edd49ad82b8

Slots work in a similar way, but with a few extra inputs.

This time, the player is asked to enter a client seed for each of the slot’s reels. The result is generated, and a “Last Game” widget becomes available after each result, showing an outcome that the player can run through a hash generator and compare with the initial seed.

Other developers use similar methods, but they may be presented in a different way. We can use the ROCKIT! crash game from Gamingtec's GT Studios as an example.

1. Before the beginning of a round, the game generates a random server seed using SHA-256. The hash of this seed is then shown to the player while the original seed is maintained by the provider.
2. The player can create their own client seed or use a default one shown on the screen.
3. A nonce is created from 0, before increasing by 1 for each round (so that after 20 rounds, the nonce will be 20).
4. The game combines the server seed, client seed, and nonce to create a combined seed, which is then hashed.
5. A numerical value is created from the hashed combined seed and mapped to a specific value that represents a multiplier in the game.
6. That multiplier dictates the point at which the game will end.
   

Unlike slot games, which can produce various outcomes (different symbol wins, feature triggers, etc.), a crash game works by steadily increasing a multiplier. Players must choose when they want to cash out and collect the value shown before the game ends, and all active bets lose.

If the hashed combined seed shows a multiplier of 5.01x, and the player cashes out at 4x, they win. If they leave their bet in the hope of hitting 5.5x and above, they lose. Either way, at the end of the game, they are shown the hashed seed and can compare it with the original to confirm that the game was always set to end at 5.01x.

Why Players and Operators Prefer Provably Fair

Provably Fair provides true, verifiable online randomization, but ultimately, the main reason that operators choose this technology is because players prefer it. It has proven particularly popular on crypto casinos, building a technological backbone that players understand and appreciate.

Provably Fair bitcoin games are a highly marketable prospect in a world where 14% of US adults own cryptocurrency and the average player seeks fair and transparent gaming.

From the perspective of iGaming platforms, it also eliminates the need for RNG implementation and regular audits, which can be a regulatory headache for both casinos and slot providers.

The Future of Provably Fair

There is no ceiling for Provably Fair gambling. In the best-case scenario, adoption levels will reach a point where it becomes the industry standard, and players become suspicious when it’s absent. On the flip side, RNG casinos may continue to dominate, leaving Provably Fair alternatives in the minority.

After all, the iGaming industry generates billions of dollars a year, and most of that comes from traditional RNG sites, so while some players may seek a higher degree of transparency, the majority may be content with current systems.

Its future may depend on the growth and adoption of Web3, a concept of a decentralized internet built on blockchain technologies and powered by cryptocurrencies. If those 14% of crypto users increase to 30%, 40%, and beyond, and that growth is not restrained by regulatory bodies, decentralized technologies will become the norm, and players may demand more transparent gaming.

Key Takeaways

The Provably Fair gaming concept uses cryptography to increase the fairness of games and provide players with more transparency. The system, which outlines each game outcome in an encrypted file sent to the player, is currently widespread on crypto casinos and favored for its fairness.

By adopting Provably Fair algorithms, providers can market their games as fair, transparent, and self-verifiable, while receiving ongoing Provably Fair technology support to guarantee the system’s continued security, safety, and efficacy.

FAQs

What is Provably Fair?

Provably Fair uses cryptography to provide fair, transparent gaming. Players are sent hashed seeds before and after each session and can compare the two to verify that the outcome was not manipulated.

What is a Provably Fair Calculator and How Do I Use it?

A Provably Fair calculator is a simple tool used to compare the seeds and confirm the game outcome. These calculators are available on most Provably Fair casinos.

How Does Provably Fair Differ From RNG?

RNG systems use third-party auditors closed off to the player. Players must trust that the RNG is fair and the audits were correct. With Provably Fair games, however, the player is sent the game outcome in a hashed seed that they can compare with the seed received at the start of play.

How Does Provably Fair Work?

A hash of the server seed is sent to the player at the start of a game, and this contains the full result in encrypted form. At the end, the player receives a hashed server seed to reveal the initial seed before comparing the results.

How to Check Provably Fair?

You can use the Provably Fair calculator provided by the casino while checking seeds using a SHA-256 hash calculator like Xorbin.

How to Win Provably Fair?

There is no way to cheat Provably Fair games. The outcome is predetermined, and while it is stored in a seed held by the player, it’s encrypted and can’t be decrypted.

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