The biggest fear among online slots players is that they might play a game that’s rigged in the casino’s favor. After all, it’s not like we can see who’s operating internet casinos or the games we’re playing.
But how common are slots scandals?
The reality is that they aren’t very common at all. This isn’t to say that you don’t have to worry about rogue operators. But you also don’t have to worry if you’re flipping a coin when choosing a reputable slots operater.
Nevertheless, there have been a few scandals in the past, including the following.
In 2009, Rome Casino was found to be running TopGame slots that were missing wild symbols. Neither Rome nor TopGame took the necessary measures to fix the situation and repay affected players. Rome Casino eventually folded, while TopGame was bought out by the more-reputable Pragmatic Play.
In 2011, AmigoTechs was discovered to be cheating players in video poker. Michael Shackleford (a.k.a. Wizard of Odds) had the cheating incident pointed out to him by a player. After running tests, they confirmed that AmigoTechs was indeed offering faulty video poker. Although not slots, this is close enough since video poker is another machine-based form of gaming.
On multiple occasions, Betsoft has been accused of running faulty slot machines. Known for their stellar 3D slots, fewer people know that Betsoft has been accused of featuring jackpots that don’t pay at all coin denominations (like they’re supposed to). As CasinoListings points out, a player named Jason won a progressive jackpot through Glam Life (via Bitcoin.ag) but was denied his jackpot. Betsoft/Bitcoin.ag eventually settled with Jason, rather than paying him the jackpot he was rightfully owed.
Again, slots scandals aren’t commonplace in the gaming world. But as the incidents above show, you need to do your research on both casinos and their providers before making a deposit. This is the only way to cover your bases and avoid shady operators.