Fairness works differently depending on where you play, but the goal stays the same. Whether you are sitting at a table in a venue or opening an account with a variety of games online, every regulated casino has to prove its results are genuine and unpredictable. That standard doesn't change based on format. Only the method of checking it does.
How fairness works in a land-based casino
In a land-based casino, oversight tends to be physical. Floor supervisors and cameras monitor tables and machines throughout a session, and gaming inspectors carry out scheduled checks on equipment rather than continuous ones.
Slot machines are inspected in person, card shoes are replaced on a set rota and shuffle machines are tested to confirm they are working as intended. In the UK, land-based standards were tightened further under the Casinos (Gaming Machines and Mandatory Conditions) Regulations 2025, which brought machine standards closer to the rules already applied to remote gambling.
How fairness works in an online casino
Online casinos rely on a different set of tools. Most games use a random number generator, commonly shortened to RNG, which is a piece of software built to produce results with no predictable pattern. This applies to Slots, Roulette, Blackjack and other RNG (random number generator) driven games alike.
Before any RNG-driven game can be added to a UK-licensed site, it has to pass independent testing. Approved labs, including eCOGRA, iTech Labs and GLI, check the software before launch and can run huge numbers of simulated rounds, sometimes well over one million, to confirm the results stay unpredictable.
Live casino games work slightly differently again. Since a real dealer handles cards or spins a wheel on camera, fairness there depends more on trained staff, secure equipment and visible procedure than on software alone.
Where the two formats differ
Where the two formats really differ is in how checks are carried out day to day. Land-based fairness relies on staff, scheduled inspection and physical equipment testing. Online fairness relies on certified software and audit records that can be reviewed by the regulator at any point, not just on a fixed rota.
Neither approach is better than the other. They are simply suited to different formats, and both sit under the same UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) oversight.
How you can check either one for yourself
If you want to check fairness for yourself, there are a few simple things to look for. An online casino should display a visible UKGC licence number, along with details of its RNG certification if you look for them.
A land-based venue should have visible signage confirming its licence and inspection history. Games on either format are never guaranteed to pay out. What regulation aims to guarantee instead is that the odds behind every result, whether decided by software or a dealer, are what they are stated to be.
If gaming ever starts to feel like more than entertainment, trusted organisations offer free and confidential support to help you stay in control.