Virtual horse betting raises one of the most common fairness questions in simulated sports: are the outcomes decided by chance or by operators? This article breaks down how virtual races are generated, what technical and regulatory controls exist to protect players, and what practical steps you can take to verify fairness yourself. The goal is to give sports fans clear, evidence-based guidance so they can assess virtual horse racing products responsibly.

Licensed virtual horse racing uses RNGs tested to regulator standards and independently certified by accredited labs.

Industry standards such as GLI-33 and ISO-accredited testing create a clear audit trail for virtual race engines.

You can reduce risk by checking licence registers, lab certificates, RTP disclosures and recent audit dates before you play.

What is virtual horse betting and how are race outcomes generated

Difference between virtual and live horse racing

Virtual horse betting is a simulation of a real race where outcomes are produced by software rather than by live animals and handlers. In plain language, it presents a set of virtual competitors, track conditions, and payout rules and then runs a digitally generated event to produce finishing positions and settled bets. Players choose predictions or place wagers on those simulated outcomes in a way that resembles live markets, but the underlying process is deterministic from the perspective of the software engine and probabilistic overall.

Is virtual horse racing fixed?

When virtual race products are licensed, independently tested, and subject to ongoing integrity monitoring, there is no evidence they are operator-fixed; unlicensed or unaudited sites pose higher fairness risks.

What Random Number Generators do in virtual races

The core piece that decides each virtual race is the Random Number Generator, often inside what suppliers call a virtual race engine. RNGs produce numbers that map to outcomes within the game rules, and the engine translates those numbers into race events and finishing positions. In regulated markets the use of RNGs is not left to the operator alone: there are published technical rules and a formal testing strategy that require independent checks before deployment, which helps explain why fairness questions focus on the RNG and the engine rather than on individual operators. UK Gambling Commission testing strategy

Who sets the rules: regulators and technical standards

Overview of Remote Technical Standards

Regulators set the baseline rules that licensed operators must follow, and a clear example is the Remote Technical Standards that define how remote games should behave and be tested before they go live. These standards require documentation, change control, and independent verification so that software used for virtual events meets a measurable baseline for fairness and auditability. The published standards and testing strategy give regulators and operators a shared checklist for what must be proven before a product is offered to consumers. UK Gambling Commission remote technical standards

Industry standards for event wagering systems such as GLI-33

Screenshot style regulator public register search page with a highlighted licence entry and active search box showing clear text for virtual horse betting compliance

Alongside regulator rules, industry standards such as GLI-33 spell out technical controls that suppliers typically adopt to satisfy multiple jurisdictions. Those controls include how randomness is generated, how transactions are recorded and protected, how logging and replay are handled, and how security and risk management integrate into the game lifecycle. In practice suppliers align with both regulator mandates and these industry standards so that their software can be certified and deployed across regulated markets. GLI-33 standards for event wagering systems

How independent testing and certification work in practice

What accredited test labs check in RNG and software

Accredited test labs run a sequence of tests before an operator can go live. Typical technical checks include statistical testing of RNG output, source code review for critical components, configuration and environment validation, and regression testing after any material software change. These labs also verify logging, transaction integrity, and that the deployed configuration matches the tested build, creating an audit trail operators can present to regulators and players. eCOGRA RNG certification overview

Role of ISO/IEC 17025 and public-facing certificates

Many accredited testing laboratories operate under ISO/IEC 17025 or similar frameworks that standardise laboratory competence and reporting. When a lab issues a public-facing RNG certificate or test report, it communicates that the tested RNG and game build met the lab criteria at the time of review. Certificates are useful evidence for consumers because they name the tested product, the version, and often the date of testing, which helps a reviewer confirm whether the live product matches the certified build. iTech Labs RNG testing and certification

Review challenge rules on the FundedPlays Challenges page

Take a moment to open the regulator register and a lab certificate so you can see what details are provided and how current they are.

View FundedPlays Challenges

Integrity monitoring: how anomalies are detected and handled

What integrity bodies monitor and report

Independent integrity organisations collect data from many operators and use automated systems to flag suspicious betting patterns, correlated anomalies across markets, and outlier settlement behaviour. When these systems find a signal they share alerts with operators and regulators so cases can be reviewed and, if needed, investigated further. This collaborative reporting and escalation model adds a practical layer of oversight beyond the initial certification process. International Betting Integrity Association integrity reports

Typical signals and the enforcement path

Common indicators include unusual bet settlement patterns, repeated wins by the same account under unlikely conditions, or identical behaviour across unrelated markets that suggests external coordination. When an integrity body raises an alert, operators typically run a technical review and, if warranted, pause the affected markets and notify the regulator. That process can lead to deeper examinations of logs, rebuilds, or additional lab reviews if software or configuration issues are suspected. International Betting Integrity Association integrity reports

How to check a virtual horse racing site for fairness: a practical guide

Licence checks and regulator registers

Start by confirming the operator holds a licence with the relevant regulator and that the licence is active on the public register. The register entry tells you whether the business name matches the site, the licence scope, and often any conditions the regulator has placed on the operator. Seeing a clear licence entry on a regulator register is one of the easiest signals that an operator is operating within a regulated framework. Also check the operator homepage for official contact details such as on the Funded Plays homepage Funded Plays. UK Gambling Commission remote technical standards

Finding and interpreting RNG and audit certificates

Look for lab certificates or test reports on the operator site or ask support for a copy. A useful certificate identifies the tested build, the date of testing, the lab that performed the work, and the scope of the tests. If a certificate is older than the current build or missing a version identifier, treat that as a concern and request more details from support. Accredited labs are expected to publish the standards and scope of their work so you can compare the certificate to the declared game. For additional reading see our blog section Funded Plays blog. eCOGRA RNG certification overview

Funded Plays Challenges

View FundedPlays Challenges

Common myths, scams and where risks are highest

Why claims of 'rigging' spread and how to evaluate them

Accusations that virtual races are rigged often arise from a single unlucky streak, misunderstanding of probability, or from seeing unexpected outcomes that are still consistent with declared randomness. Because virtual events run quickly and generate many outcomes, clusters of surprising results can appear more often than intuition expects. In licensed and audited products, there is no evidence that operators manipulate certified RNG outcomes; instead, oversight relies on independent testing and ongoing monitoring to detect genuine problems. GLI-33 event wagering standards For how we review products, see our evaluation explainer how Funded Plays evaluations work.

Risks associated with unlicensed or unaudited platforms

Unlicensed or unaudited platforms lack the same externally verifiable checks and are therefore the environments where manipulation or poor controls are most likely. Without published certifications, change logs, or regulator oversight it is difficult for a player to confirm that the RNG is both properly implemented and unchanged since testing. As a result, fairness risks are materially higher on those sites when compared with licensed, certified offerings. UK Gambling Commission remote technical standards

Practical examples and a quick pre-play checklist

Walkthrough: verifying a site's licence and RNG certificate

Example walkthrough step one, licence verification: open the relevant regulator public register, search the operator name shown on the site, and check that the licence status is active and that the licence covers virtual sports or event wagering. Confirm the operator business name and licence number match the site footer and the terms and conditions. If those items align it reduces the chance the site is an unlicensed operator.

Example walkthrough step two, lab certificate checking: find the site page that lists certifications or contact support for a copy of the RNG report. On a certificate check the lab name, the date of testing, the product or build identifier, and the scope of work listed. Prefer certificates from accredited labs that operate under recognised frameworks, since those labs document their methods and limits clearly. iTech Labs RNG testing and certification

quick regulator and lab verification

Licence lookup
Lab certificate
RTP disclosure
Game rules
Recent audit date
Settlement pattern review

Use official registers and lab pages for verification

Quick checklist you can use before placing a prediction

Quick checklist you can save or screenshot: 1) Licence present and active on the regulator register. 2) Recent lab certificate with product or build ID. 3) Clear RTP or payout disclosure for the virtual race product. 4) Published game rules explaining how outcomes map to the RNG. 5) Recent audit date within the last few years, ideally 2024 to 2026. 6) Review your own play for unusual settlement patterns and ask support for clarification if needed. These steps focus on finding externally verifiable evidence rather than relying on marketing claims.

Prioritise documents dated 2024 to 2026 when available because standards and testing strategies have been updated in that period and they reflect the most recent expectations for testing and change control. Currency matters because re-testing is required after material changes, and older certificates may not cover newer builds. UK Gambling Commission testing strategy testing procedure testing strategy pdf

Can a licensed virtual horse racing site be fixed by the operator?

There is no evidence that licensed and audited virtual horse racing products are operator-fixed; licensed systems use certified RNGs and oversight, which reduce the risk of manipulation.

What should I look for on a site to check fairness?

Check the operator licence on the regulator register, request lab RNG certificates, review RTP disclosures and game rules, and prefer recent audit dates.

Are unlicensed sites safe to use for virtual horse betting?

Unlicensed or unaudited sites present higher fairness risks because they lack verifiable external testing and regulator oversight.

No system is completely immune to problems, but the combination of regulator standards, accredited lab testing, and integrity monitoring makes licensed virtual horse racing products far less likely to be manipulated. If you find gaps in licence information or cannot obtain a current lab certificate, treat the site as higher risk and consider alternatives with clearer, verifiable documentation.