RTS 3 – Rules, game descriptions and the likelihood of winning
Gaming (including bingo), lotteries and betting on virtual events
RTS aim 3
To enable customers to make informed decisions about whether to gamble based on their chances of winning, the way the game, lottery or event works, the prizes or payouts on offer and the current state of multi-state games or events.
RTS requirement 3A
An explanation of the applicable rules must be easily available to the customer before they commit to gamble. The content including artwork and text must be accurate, and sufficient to explain all of the applicable rules and how to participate. All reasonable steps must be taken to ensure that the content is understandable.
RTS implementation guidance 3A
a. Explanatory content includes information in artwork and text displayed within the virtual event, in ‘help’ or ‘how to play’ pages, or other supporting material.
b. Links to the information should be prominently placed, for example on home pages for gaming sections, game selection pages or menus, or within individual games, so that customers can easily locate them.
c. As a minimum, restricted display devices should provide explanatory content via a menu item or other link.
d. The following items provide guidelines on the type of explanatory content that may be relevant and should be considered for inclusion:
i. the name of the game, lottery or virtual event
ii. the applicable rules, including clear descriptions of what constitutes a winning outcome
iii. restrictions on play or betting, such as any play duration limits, maximum wins, etc
iv. the number of decks or frequency of shuffles in virtual card games
v. whether there are contributions to jackpots (progressives) and the way in which the jackpot operates, for example, whether the jackpot is won by achieving a particular outcome
vi. instructions on how to interact with the game
vii. rules pertaining to metamorphosis of games, for example, the number and type of tokens that need to be collected in order to qualify for a feature or bonus round and the rules and behaviour of the bonus round
viii. the rules for entering a single lottery draw or a series of lottery draws and the frequency of the draws.
RTS requirement 3B
Where relevant, as the game or event progresses, information that may reasonably be expected to enable the customer to understand the current state must be displayed.
RTS implementation guidance 3B
The following items provide guidelines on the type of information that may be relevant.
a. Where a game builds up a collection of tokens (symbols etc), the current number collected.
b. An indication of which rules are currently relevant, such as displaying ‘bonus round’ or other feature labels.
c. This requirement does not apply to lotteries.
RTS requirement 3C
For each virtual event, game (including bingo), or lottery, information that may reasonably be expected to enable the customer to make an informed decision about his or her chances of winning must be easily available before the customer commits to gamble. Information must include:
i. a description of the way the game works and the way in which winners are determined and prizes allocated;
ii. house edge (or margin);
iii. the return to player (RTP) percentage; or
iv. the probability (likelihood) of winning events occurring.
RTS implementation guidance 3C
a. The following items provide further guidance on acceptable types of information about the likelihood of winning:
i. for types of peer-to-peer games where the likelihood of winning may depend on skill and/or the actions of other participants, a description of the way the game works and how winners are determined will be sufficient;
ii. for bingo, and some types of lottery or other games where it is not possible to determine the likelihood of winning because it depends on the eventual number of participants, a description of the way in which prizes are allocated will be sufficient.
iii. the average theoretical return to player percentage. Where an event (other than peer-to-peer) involves an element of skill, return to player percentage should be calculated using either the auto-play strategy or a standard/published strategy;
iv. the house edge, margin or over-round, for example for a virtual race;
v. the probability of each winning event occurring, or such information as may reasonably be expected to allow the customer to calculate the probability that the event will occur. The nature of some games may mean that the game itself provides sufficient information, for example, the likelihood of rolling a six on a six-sided die would not require further explanation.
