Challenge Accepted: Online Casino QA Testing

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Nowadays, Internet gambling is a fast-growing multi-billion dollar industry. In the past year, mobile gaming alone saw a growth of $2.7 billion. It’s certainly true that new brands and games are emerging almost every day, trying to win a bit of every player’s attention. But making sure that each and every spin is totally random is not that easy. So, online casino QA testers face a lot of intriguing challenges.

QA testers usually work for game development studios. They make sure that each of the games adheres to all the applicable laws and casino licenses. So, what’s the life of an online casino Quality Assurance specialist like? Let’s take a look now!

Online Casino Game: Making It Right

Only a few dozen years ago, slot machines generated random outcomes with the help of a mechanical lever, with a few reels placed on one single axis. Nowadays, this role is performed by some well-designed software which allows millions of players to play at the same time, while using only one online platform.

So, the whole process goes like this: a back-end part of the software generates a random array of numbers. This specific outcome is then compared to a list of winning combinations; whether these are paylines, for slots; or winning patterns, for a card game. If the results match, then the payout is calculated and the info is sent to the front-end part of the game, which shows you some appealing animation and music to alert you to your win. Alternatively, if you didn’t win, the algorithm works almost the same way, just without the payout part.

By the way, the fact that people play with real money adds an exciting e-commerce aspect to the gaming part, so QA testers want to make sure that everything goes right in the financial department as well.

So to perform some more complicated automation testing, the testers use the same GDK (game development kit) that was used by the developers when they first put the game together. Then, in turn, they have to find all the bugs that can happen; in order to prevent them from occurring during the real user experience, once the game finally does come out.

Also, it’s not a big surprise that casino games are operating on the basis of RNG (random number generators). Yet, most QA specialists say that the online casino RNG is so much more than just a line of code that gives you any random number from a chosen array of options. Instead, it all starts with set parameters like a particular date and time; and these are what enable the RNG to work properly with every other spin that the player makes.

What Online Casino QA Testers Actually Do

In general, the testing part is divided into two categories: manual and automated testing. The first type involves actually playing games in real-time and then writing feedback, as well as members of the testing team performing more complicated operations. The manual tests are also called “ad hoc testing.”

But if the QA team needs a more serious approach to determining possible bugs, glitches, and anything abnormal in the game, they hire a QA expert who knows something about software development as well. The reason for this is simple. This game tester can write a custom piece of code that should be able to find a problem somewhere deep in the logical sequence; and quite possibly even tell why it tends to occur. For example, such a piece of a testing code may mimic millions of operations, in order to perform stress testing.

The next stage might be a comparison of the results and a performance analysis of how and why certain anomalies happen. Then, the problem is being fixed and then the testing goes for another round again, until the game can finally be called perfect, at which point it’s now ready to hit the online gambling market.

For compliance assurance, QA testing might be performed by a third-party company, in order to help ensure the fairness of the game.

Testing Techniques

When it comes to casino games, online casino QA testers want to check the following areas:

• Design
• Performance
• Usability
• Device compatibility
• Security
• Game authentication
• Compliance

Common Bugs

These are the most common bugs that QA testers want to find and report:

• Some design patterns don’t display right
• The items have a wrong placement on the screen
• The buttons don’t work or generate an incorrect result
• Wrong bonus count
• The currency calculations are incorrect
• The game crashes on a mobile device
• The logic of the game doesn’t perform right

Becoming a Casino QA Tester

If you like to deconstruct things and see how they work from the inside, then you might find it fun to work a QA tester who checks online casino games. Having said that, QA team members usually perform a range of different tasks. Some of them will test the games manually, other ones are designed for writing the documentation and analytical papers, and the most proficient ones are made to create and run automated tests. If anything from this sounds like you, then go for it!

Also, researchers from this industry point out that all the online gaming, including casinos, moves towards AR and VR technology. That’s why we can tell you that in the near future there’s going to be a lot to test!

People Also Ask:

• What are the game testing techniques for online casinos?

Any gaming studio obviously wants to make sure that an online casino game works perfectly on a variety of different levels. Namely, it should perform well on mobile devices, in multiplayer mode, and so much more. Some of the testing techniques commonly applied are localization testing, soak testing, load testing, functionality testing, compliance testing, beta testing.

• How to become an online casino QA tester?

It’s better for you to start with a degree in either computer science or graphic design. Then, you should get a well-rounded understanding of what types of games you like, because being passionate about what you do is a secret key to any future success. And the third phase is, of course, to start looking for a job. You can start with easy freelancing gigs, which can help you compile a nice portfolio, which should then be able to help you get your foot in the door of the big game industry.

• Why do casino games need quality assurance?

First and foremost, casinos are responsible for abiding by the rules of their license, as well as the applicable laws of any location where the company is officially registered. Because then the game should be able to perform flawlessly and deliver an exciting and smooth user experience with no bugs, freezes, or anything inconvenient like that!