One of the most important topics brought up in the 2006 eCOGRA Global Gambler Report, in our opinion here at OCC, was the amount of misunderstanding and lack of awareness that players have in regards to internet gaming fairness. Certainly not a problem created by the players themselves, it is the online casino operators and software developers who should be held responsible in getting more information out to the masses. While some operators have done better at this than others, the bottom line is that the internet gaming industry is still a relatively young one. And despite the industry's thriving status, a greater amount of transparency is still needed.

Casino operators have understandably been taking steps based on limited understanding. Up until this point, the industry has not been adequately aware regarding how players perceive the standard of fairness and regulation. Well, following the insightful points brought up in eCOGRA's report, all that will hopefully change in the near future.

Players need to know that fairness begins with the software developers powering the internet casinos, who license the software. Companies like Vegas Technology and Real Time Gaming must first get independently tested by cryptosystem specialists to have any clout within the gaming industry. Software companies should then post the results of these tests, issued in the form of a certification statement made available for each players perusal.

The way these certifications work is that the independent testers run millions of hands and map the software Random Number Generator (RNG) algorithm to verify that there are no statistical biases in producing winning results. These results are then compared to the specifications implemented by the software developer, which should be in line with regulation and industry standards. If all is in alignment, then the certification is given.Furthermore, the algorithm of the RNG must produce entirely random results that are impossible to predict. Again, the hand results are mapped to determine if any patterns or predictability can be detected.

When standards of randomness and hand outcomes are shown to be met by the software developers, then a seal of verification is awarded.Two of the most used independent fairness verification experts in the industry are Price Waterhouse Coopers and Certified Fair Gambling. Online casinos are also held accountable for maintaining these levels of fairness, which we will discuss in our next tip, How the Fairness of Online Casinos is Kept in Check