RTP explained: what a published percentage tells you

A return-to-player percentage describes an average, not an amount you are owed. The Gambling Commission’s explanation says that RTP is achieved over a significant number of game plays rather than on every play.

A concrete example

The Commission uses a machine displaying 85% RTP as its example. It warns that a player should not expect an average payout of 85 pence for each £1 staked during a playing session. A displayed percentage does not turn a session into a predictable return.

That example concerns gaming machines. The separate remote-game requirements below concern Great Britain’s licensed remote market.

Where the game information fits

Remote technical standard RTS 3 requires accessible rules before a customer commits to gamble. It also requires information about chances of winning, such as RTP, house edge or winning-event probabilities, as appropriate to the game.

The standard describes help pages, game menus and supporting material as ways of making information accessible. It also covers explanations of bonus features and potential prizes. These are Great Britain requirements; they should not be presented as universal rules for every jurisdiction.

Reading our database

Our slot database separates the versions a studio publishes from the setting an individual casino may use. Read the linked primary source, then compare it with the information supplied for the particular game. We do not inspect your casino’s configuration or certify its displayed figure.

A maximum-win figure answers a different question from RTP: it describes a ceiling, not the return to expect in a session. Keep the game’s rules, feature descriptions and published figures together when comparing titles. None of those fields guarantees a profit.