Casino Game Auditing Explained
Just like other industries, casinos have to undergo regular audits. The audits can vary depending on the regulatory body overseeing the casino, and some casinos (typically online casinos) operate outside of the law and don’t have regular audits.
So, how do you know if a casino has been audited? And how are casinos audited? Read on to learn all about the world of casino game auditing.
What is an Audit?
An audit is a fancy word for an official review by a specific party. While the types and execution of audits vary, in general, they are performed by a third party who then reports back to regulating parties, though internal audits are also common.
Audits can take many forms, from physical testing, document review, and procedure review. The type and depth of an audit will vary from industry to industry. The most powerful audits are those carried out by a third party.
How Are Casino Games Audited?
Casinos typically have to undergo very stringent audits to legally stay in business. This is because, in most countries, it is an age-restricted activity, and governing bodies are very interested in getting their cut.
A brick and mortar casino is typically audited by an individual who can review financial documents and practices, to ensure the casino is paying its fair share of its income to the government. That being said, some audit companies also test compliance, typically by having underage operators attempt to play games—to test if the casino is following proper carding procedures.
These casinos also typically employ auditors to ensure fraud is properly prevented. These auditors may observe employees both on the casino floor and in corporate to ensure nothing suspicious is happening.
As for the games themselves, these are typically audited by the casino before they allow for the game to be installed on their floor. Larger casinos may employ a tester on staff, though smaller casinos may utilize a service that provides a contract game tester for a certain number of days.
If that weren’t confusing enough, the game companies behind the slot machines also have their own auditors to ensure that the games produced meet standards and don’t have any bugs. These testers are typically internal, however, and this may not be considered an actual audit but more of quality assurance.
While it might sound like it’s easier to open an online casino rather than a brick-and-mortar one, this is rarely the case. Online casinos have to undergo their own audits, and unlike brick and mortar casinos, while they may not need to worry about staff laundering money, they do have to worry about cybercrime and external fraud attacks. One breach of online security could lead to losses far larger than those of a brick-and-mortar casino.
How Can You Tell A Casino Has Been Audited?
Here is where it gets interesting. In general, you know a brick-and-mortar casino has been audited because it is still open and legally operating. There are very few cases where a physical casino is able to operate without having been properly audited, with the reports going to the governing authorities. That being said, if you are curious about a casino’s audit, you can ask. Any audits that are public should be provided to you upon request.
**Do note that some of the audits we mentioned above are internal audits—meaning the casino is checking on its own, and the results are not provided to the local governing bodies. As long as these audits aren’t required to be legally disclosed, the casino can deny you access to them.
Online casinos are a bit different. The rules for audits for an online casino tend to be far less than those of brick-and-mortar casinos because there is more technology involved and fewer people. Still, most countries require at least some sort of audit, though the audit is usually focused on cybersecurity and penetration testing rather than on actual game function.
That being said, there are requirements, and like with the brick and mortar casinos, if you don’t see the audits posted on the FAQ page or on the About Us page, contact customer service and request them. You can cross-reference this information with the information provided by the government where the online casino is based, ensuring that what you are provided matches what is legally required.
But outside of requesting audit information, there is no way to know for certain that any website has been properly audited.
Are There Casinos That Haven’t Been Audited?
Unfortunately, there are so many online casinos that some inevitably escape being audited each year. While a casino remaining unaudited doesn’t inherently make its existence bad or malicious, you also shouldn’t trust these casinos, because they could disappear in an instant, taking all of your money with them.
This is especially true in the cryptocurrency space. But you should know that any cryptocurrency casino must have an audit of its smart contracts—not just for legality’s sake, but because weaknesses exploited in these contracts can lead to devastation—and fast.
Just because there are casinos that exist without having been audited doesn’t mean this will always be the case. Because of the uncertainty and security flaws typically possessed by these online casinos, we do not recommend playing on an online casino without first checking the audit history. Even then, we recommend not leaving large amounts of money on the site—just in case something happens.
Can You Use Software to Audit Casinos?
It is never recommended to have only software audit casinos. While software can be valuable to the audit and QA process, human intervention is still needed when auditing an online casino. This is because there is no “one size fits all” for software auditing solutions, and something is bound to be missed if you only use software. For best results, you want your casino audited. You should hire a professional company that utilizes a combination of software and human input to carry out its audits.
