How Fair Is Electronic Airball Roulette?

There is little doubt that Roulette is one of the most loved and played games of chance on earth. It is an ancient game that is still as loved as when it was first invented hundreds of years ago and is perhaps the most glamorous NZ online casino game there is.

electronic airball roulette

Now, there have always been questions about the fairness or otherwise of the game. This is not helped by the fact that there are different variants on the market, some of which make use of physical wheels of this or that type, while others make use of a random number generator.

There are even variants of the games with wheels made out of glass. The purpose of this novel creation is for players to have an unobstructed view of the proceedings, and build confidence in the fairness of the proceedings.

Of recent, variants like airball or rapid Roulette have been introduced. These are also known as electronic or automated Roulette machines. While these charts a way forward for bringing the game into the 21st century, there is constant controversy and dispute as to whether they like other similar variants of the game are fair and reliable.

After lots of debates on the issue, there is as of yet no definite answer. This is not helped by the game manufacturers who for proprietary reasons refuse to disclose the necessary information that would make it possible for the informed to gauge the reliability and fairness of their automated Roulette games.

However, we will, in this article give a definite answer to the question of how reliable or otherwise electronic airball Roulette is. So, tune in and keep alert.

Who Makes Them?

The first airball Roulette systems were made in Eastern Europe. They were exported to the major gambling venues of the world during the late 90s and soon carved a niche for themselves. The most known brands include the likes of Novomatic, IGT, Spintec, Alfastreet, Gold Club, and Interblock/Elektronik.

These game machines are simply but cleverly designed. They are equipped with a wheel that is powered by an electric motor of some sorts. The wheel is covered by a transparent glass dome.

The ball in these machines is kicked into operation by a blast of air once the game begins. Around the wheel were some player consoles and players could make bets via a touchscreen interface till bets were no longer allowed.

Every win and loss of this game system is calculated by a computer. Gameplay on these machines can be quite fast-paced, with a single game taking from 60 to 90 seconds to complete.

At the end of the game, the winners are paid their wins, but not before applicable taxes are deducted. 

How Does It Work?

These electronic Roulette machines are operated in much the same way as standard Roulette games. The only real difference was that they lack a dealer, with every gameplay function being performed automatically.

Now, since these machines are mechanical and powered by electricity, it would be reasonable to suppose that all spins are random and attributed to pure physics and velocity. That does not, however, appear to be the case.

A detailed examination of the patents of these machines shows that the RNG often selects the winning number well in advance of the wheel spin. This should be shocking to all aficionados who love playing Roulette games where the outcome is totally up to the whims of fate rather than computer programs. 

So, Is It a Fair Game?

Well, some airball Roulette machines operate more like slots, while in others the spins are truly random and determined by the laws of physics and velocity. Finding out which machine is which requires some pretty detailed testing and observation.

The fact that these airball Roulette machines use an RNG before or after the launch of the ball to determine spin outcomes is part of why some international Gaming Boards classify them as Electronic Gaming Devices. That is right in the same class as RNG games, poker machines and slot machines.

Since the winning numbers on some of these airball machines are determined by RNG rather than the laws of physics, that makes them incapable of truly random outcomes. This fact is not known to most fans of electronic Roulette but should be. 

Moreover, the fact that these machines are currently not promoted as RNG-dependent is a sort of deceitful advertising that must be corrected soon.