Whether or not you are playing on a machine that might be tight or loose would likely depend on whether the machine you are playing on is in a legal jurisdiction or not. Illegal operators would probably set the machine for the highest house setting whereas legal establishments probably have to abide by some sort of regulation.
Whether the machine is in the hands of a legal or an illegal establishment doesn't change the fact that there must be some sort of a level adjustment done on the working mechanism of the machine to making sure as a casino they do have an edge over the gambler. It doesn't and has never been a 50/50 thing.
The only difference I will establish here between that of a legal and illegal casinos is that as an establishment that is legal they will be be very sensitive to the laws guiding their operation under such jurisdiction therefore adjusting the machine to a very minimal level that it's hard to notice but those of illegal jurisdiction they don't give a damn the adjustment can be glaring to a gambler just by the results they are getting from the machine's.
The commonplace am trying to fall on here is that no matter how legal a casino might operate it can never give an equal hedge to the gambler with itself. There will always be a mark of difference.