When casino players are presented with multiple gaming options, they take into consideration various factors that help them choose the game that best suits their taste. One very important element that helps players evaluate games is the Return to Player (RTP) percentage. This shows the potential return a player may expect in the long run. The higher the RTP a game offers, the better an option it is to bet on.
With gambling regulators becoming more adamant about online operators being fully transparent with their customers, many virtual casinos are now required to share the RTPs of the games they offer. Moreover, software companies must also provide the RTP of the games they create for interactive casinos.
While online casinos are required to provide the RTPs of their games, the same rules do not yet apply to brick-and-mortar casinos. Players therefore have to do their own research if they wish to find the RTPs of casino games offered at land-based venues. When it comes to slot machines, however, players remain in the dark about the RTPs of the slot variations offered at different brick-and-mortar casinos.
If you would like to learn why land-based gambling facilities are still not required to reveal such information, we suggest you continue reading. We will cover what RTP tells players and why brick-and-mortar casinos should also be required to list RTP percentages.
How Come Land-Based Casinos Do Not Offer RTP Figures?
While brick-and-mortar casinos have not provided any explanation for withholding RTP figures, there are several factors that may justify the absence of RTP listings at land-based venues.
RTP can fluctuate depending on the gambling facility
Slot machine developers tend to offer land-based casinos several variants of the same slot with varying RTPs. Thus, even if you are familiar with the usual RTP of a slot machine, the casino where you play may have opted for a version with a lower RTP. Unfortunately, because physical casinos are not required to provide the RTPs of their games, there is no way to realise that you are actually playing with an adjusted RTP percentage.
The same table game may have varying RTPs
Another reason why land-based casinos may hesitate to list RTPs is that they can offer the same table game with various payouts. For example, a single-deck blackjack variant may have a different payout than a six-deck version. This is why unified RTPs are rarely seen at land-based casinos; they would not be accurate for all variations of the same table game. Instead, physical casinos would need to make a new plaque for every variant, which can be very burdensome.
Low RTPs may scare players away
One of the most obvious reasons why brick-and-mortar casinos avoid listing RTPs is to take advantage of less-experienced players. First-time visitors may never have looked up different casino games, so they will not be aware that some games have drastically lower RTPs than others. If they choose a game based solely on its design and betting features, many players tend to pick options with extremely low RTPs.
No significant complaints
Even though players could greatly benefit from knowing the RTPs of the games they enjoy at land-based casinos, there have been no real complaints about the lack of this information. The truth is that even if they see games with lower potential payouts, most recreational players will not be deterred from playing them. That said, with brick-and-mortar casinos feeling no pressure to list RTPs, there is no sign of gambling facilities making such information public any time soon.
Can Individual Research Be of Any Help When Playing Offline?
To learn the RTPs of certain games found at land-based casinos, you must conduct your own research. A quick online search can instantly show you the RTP of American or European roulette, baccarat, or the different bets available in craps and Sic Bo. However, virtual browsing will not help in every case.
Some table games have different variations, with tweaks in the rules affecting the RTP. When it comes to poker or blackjack, you may not be able to discover the RTP of the exact variant offered at the brick-and-mortar casino where you play. Nevertheless, you can look up particular variations online and see how the RTP may be affected by certain rules.
As a rule of thumb, most penny slot machines have an RTP of about 90%, or may go a bit higher to around 92%. Meanwhile, machines with higher stakes usually offer RTPs somewhere between 93% and 95%. That said, you can never be entirely sure when you play at a land-based casino, so you will need to play the slots blindly.
Reasons Why Land-Based Casinos Should List RTP Percentages
As already mentioned, brick-and-mortar casinos have their reasons for not disclosing the RTPs of the games they offer their visitors. That said, we believe there are also plenty of reasons why land-based gambling facilities should consider providing these figures.
Convenience for some players
Even though many players will continue to play games with lower RTPs, some would definitely appreciate knowing what the long-term potential return may be. This is especially true when players are choosing slot machines, as a version offering a 97% RTP is considerably better than one with a 93% RTP.
Spare players the time for research
If players really want to know the RTP of a casino game, they usually conduct their own research, looking for the possible return certain games offer. Were land-based casinos to disclose the RTPs of their games, this would spare players both time and inconvenience.
Reducing gambling harm
Unfortunately, many players tend to play games at brick-and-mortar casinos without caring about the potential return. Very often such players are attracted to gaming options that offer lower RTPs. Usually, that leads to greater long-term losses, and you may often see players suffering gambling harm as they fall into the trap of chasing losses. If brick-and-mortar casinos started disclosing the RTPs of the games they offer, players might be more cautious when opting for titles with lower potential returns.
How Land-Based Casinos Can Easily Disclose RTP Rates
While land-based casinos have their reasons for not listing the RTPs of the games they offer, there are some solutions to the issues they may encounter when disclosing RTP rates. If gaming and betting venues want to be fully transparent with their customers, listing RTP percentages should not be an impossible or even a tough task.
List custom RTP rates on slots
It is true that slot providers allow casinos to pick the RTP of the slots they place on their casino floors. Some casinos claim that it is inconvenient to provide customers with the RTPs of the slot machines they offer. However, when online slot software companies supply their games to virtual casinos, they adjust the in-game information to display the correct RTP. Providers of games for land-based casinos should implement the same practice and adjust the information in their slots to show the correct RTP for each venue.
Electronic displays at table games
As already explained, the same table game may have different RTPs, depending on the rules that have been implemented. While it can be difficult for land-based casinos to offer a unified RTP for a table game, the use of electronic displays may solve this issue. Such technology can be utilised to present the specific rules and RTP of the respective table game players are about to join.
Use official casino websites to list RTP rates
As major land-based casinos also have official websites where you can find information about the venues, these pages can be used to disclose the RTP rates of the games they offer. Many players research the games they are about to play, so having an official website where they can check such information makes the process much easier. Moreover, if a brick-and-mortar casino is offering favourable odds, listing such rates can be a great advertising strategy for the venue.
Will Land-Based Casinos Start Disclosing RTP Rates Anytime Soon?
Although there are measures that land-based casinos could implement to inform players about the potential return of games, we are not convinced that this will happen any time soon. The main reason for keeping players in the dark about the real RTPs of their games is that they are not pressured to provide such figures.
The requirements that online casinos must meet are much stricter, with licensing authorities often requiring licensees to disclose the RTP rates of all the games they provide. Thus, online operators ensure they are transparent with their patrons, giving them the option to choose games based on their RTPs.
Unfortunately, regulators do not hold land-based casinos to the same high standards. As brick-and-mortar casinos are not required to disclose the potential return of their games, they will probably continue to keep their visitors in the dark.
Another reason why brick-and-mortar casinos will probably continue not to provide payout percentages is to maintain interest in low-paying games. While some players simply do not care about RTP, others may find it burdensome to search for the potential payout of games. If land-based casinos were to show the RTP rates of their games, many players might give up on options that provide significantly lower RTPs.
Closing Thoughts
While the disclosure of RTP figures by land-based casinos would be very beneficial for players, there are no signs of physical gambling facilities implementing this measure any time soon. There are several reasons why brick-and-mortar casinos find it inconvenient to display the potential payouts of the games they host.
With land-based gambling venues often offering slots with adjusted RTP levels and table games with varying potential returns, listing the RTP rates of games is quite inconvenient for physical casinos.
With no pressure from players or gambling regulators, land-based casinos continue to keep the RTPs of their games to themselves. As players are unaware of a game’s payout rate, they can often fall into the trap of placing bets on options that actually have very low RTPs.
With no serious pressure applied by players and no regulatory requirements to meet, land-based casinos will probably continue not to disclose the RTPs of the games they feature. Unless official requirements are issued by regulatory bodies, brick-and-mortar casinos are not expected to start providing RTP rates soon.
