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Standards

Remote gambling and software technical standards (RTS)

Remote gambling and software technical standards under section 89 and section 97 of the Gambling Act 2005.

Published
2 February 2021

Last updated
1 February 2021 - Changes

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Contents

2 - Definition of terms

2.1 In this document the following terms have the following meanings.

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Compensated games or events
Games or virtual events that adjust the likelihood of winning outcomes occurring based on previous payouts or intake. Sometimes referred to as adaptive behaviour or percentage compensation.
Easily accessible
This term generally means the facilities or information is either on the screen, or can be intuitively accessed via efficient navigation or other means.
Game
A game of chance as defined in section 6(2) of the Gambling Act 2005 (the Act).
Gambling

The Gambling Act 2005 defines gambling as follows:

Gaming session
A gaming session is the playing of any of the applicable activities, for example bingo or casino games, and commences when a player starts playing a game for real money. A gaming session ends when a player exits a game.
High frequency lottery
A lottery in which any draw takes place less than one hour after a draw in a previous lottery promoted on behalf of the same non-commercial society or local authority or as part of the same multiple lottery scheme.
Instant lottery
A lottery in which every draw takes place either before, or at the point of, purchase of tickets by participants in the lottery.
Lottery ticket

As described by section 253 of the Act and a reference in this document to a lottery ticket includes:

  • a lottery ticket which is sent by post following entry by means of remote communication
  • a message sent or displayed to a person electronically in a manner which enables him to retain the message electronically or print it.

Mapping
The process of selecting an outcome using the result from a Random Number Generator (RNG). For example, the result from a RNG is mapped to a reel strip symbol.
Peer-to-peer gambling
A type of gambling where customers gamble against each other rather than against the house. For example, equal chance gaming such as poker or peer-to-peer betting through betting exchanges.
Play-for-free
Also known as play-for-fun. Demonstration version of a real money game where the customer is not staking or winning any money or money’s worth.
Progressive or progressive jackpot
An incremental prize that increases as a result of contributions from the monies staked within a game from pre-set base value.
Random Number Generator (RNG)
Refers to any item of hardware or software which is used to generate random numbers with the intended property of statistical randomness.
Restricted display device

A device such as a mobile phone which has limited space on which to display information, when used to access gambling facilities that the operator intends a customer to use by means of such a device.

We expect that a player using a restricted display device would still have the ability to use all required responsible gambling tools, such as financial limits or self-exclusion. We would not consider it acceptable to require a player to login via, for example, the desktop website version of the gambling facilities in order to access responsible gambling tools. Such an approach would create unreasonable barriers and may deter or prevent mobile users from utilising the available tools.

Scaling
Scaling is the process used to convert the output from a RNG into the format required to produce a result for a particular gambling product. To illustrate, an RNG may produce a result of between one and 100,000 but these possible outcomes need to be scaled to the potential game outcomes of, for example, between 1 – 52 to correspond to a standard pack of cards.
Seeding
Refers to the process used to determine the initial state of the RNG.
Slots
Casino games of a reel-based type (includes games that have non-traditional reels).
Subscription lottery
A series of lotteries (other than instant lotteries) promoted on behalf of the same non-commercial society or local authority in respect of which participants pay for participation in one or more future lotteries by regular subscription over a fixed or indefinite period.
Telephone gambling
Gambling which takes place via a telephone, without the use of visual displays, by interaction with a customer service agent or an automated system, such as intelligent voice recognition systems or touch tone.
Third party software
Refers to software that is separately available from the core software product and is designed to add optional features. It includes additional software, supplied, or used, by the gambling operator, or player, which was not part of the basic package.
Virtual
As described by section 353(3) of the Act. Virtual event and virtual game are to be construed accordingly.
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