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Guidance

Guidance to licensing authorities

The Gambling Commission's guidance for licensing authorities.

Published
1 April 2021

Last updated
1 July 2024 - Changes

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Contents

RTS 6 – Result determination for play-for-free games

Applies to:

Gaming (including bingo), lotteries and betting on virtual events.

RTS aim 6

To minimise the risk that customers are misled about the likelihood of winning due to the behaviour of play-for-free games.

RTS requirement 6A

Play-for-free games must implement the same game rules as the corresponding play-for-money games offered on the same facilities (that is, the same website). Operators must take all reasonable steps to ensure that play-for-free games accurately represent the likelihood of winning and prize distribution in the play-for-money game. For the purpose of this requirement playing a game includes participating in a lottery and/or betting on a virtual event.

RTS implementation guidance 6A

  1. The play-for-free game should use the same RNG as the corresponding play-for-money games, another RNG that fulfils the requirements set out in RTS requirement 7A, or a publicly available RNG, (such as those available as standard within operating systems) that may reasonably be expected to produce no systematic bias.
  2. Where 6A is not reasonably possible, it should be demonstrated that the method of producing outcomes does not introduce a systematic bias, for example:
    1. if tables of random numbers are used, they should be sufficiently long to support a large number of games without repeating
    2. the method should represent game probabilities accurately, that is it should not produce a higher than expected proportion of winning outcomes.
  3. The prize distribution should accurately represent the play-for-money game. For example, where play-for-free games use virtual cash, the virtual cash payouts should be the same as the corresponding play-for-money game, and where tokens are used, the allocation of tokens as prizes should be proportionate to the stakes and prizes in the play-for-money game.
  4. Where videos are used to advertise a game’s features it should be made clear to consumers where footage has been edited or sped-up for promotional purposes. Similarly, where a non-consumer (for example supplier’s) website is demonstrating a game with higher than normal returns (that is, on a website that is different to the real money gambling facility websites) it should be made clear that it is a demonstration game specifically designed to demonstrate the bonus features.
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