Casino glossary
137 casino and gambling terms explained in plain English: the games, the maths, the bonuses and the business. Every term links to a full explanation.
A
AccumulatorAn accumulator, called a parlay in the US, is a single bet combining several selections, all of which must win; the odds of each selection are multiplied together.BettingAffiliateAn affiliate is a website or marketer that refers players to gambling operators in return for commission, typically through revenue share, a fixed fee per depositing player, or both.IndustryAffordability checksAffordability checks are assessments of whether a customer can afford their level of gambling, using credit data or financial documents, triggered when spending passes set thresholds.RegulationAggregatorAn aggregator is a B2B company that connects many game providers to operators through a single technical integration, letting operators offer large game libraries.IndustryAmerican rouletteAmerican roulette is the version of roulette played on a wheel with 38 pockets, numbers 1 to 36 plus 0 and 00, giving a house edge of about 5.26%.RouletteAnti-money laundering (AML)Anti-money laundering (AML) refers to the laws and controls that require gambling operators to prevent criminal money being disguised as legitimate funds through gambling.Regulation
B
B2BB2B (business to business) in gambling refers to companies that supply technology, games, data or services to operators rather than serving players directly.IndustryB2CB2C (business to consumer) in gambling refers to operators that offer gambling products directly to players, such as online casinos, sportsbooks and land-based venues.IndustryBanker commissionBanker commission is the fee, normally 5% of winnings, that casinos charge on winning Banker bets in baccarat, because the Banker hand wins slightly more often.BaccaratBasic strategyBasic strategy is the mathematically optimal set of blackjack decisions for every player hand against every dealer upcard, minimising the house edge without counting cards.BlackjackBetting exchangeA betting exchange is a platform on which customers bet against each other rather than against a bookmaker, with the exchange charging commission on net winnings.BettingBlackjack payout (3:2 vs 6:5)Blackjack payout is the amount paid on a natural blackjack, an ace plus a ten-value card; the traditional rate is 3 to 2, while many tables now pay only 6 to 5.BlackjackBlindsBlinds are forced bets posted by the two players to the left of the dealer button in games such as Texas hold'em, ensuring there is money in every pot.PokerBonus buyA bonus buy is a slot option that lets a player pay a fixed price, often around 50 to 100 times the stake, to enter the bonus round immediately instead of waiting to trigger it.Games
C
CageThe cage is a casino's secure cashier and money-handling centre, where chips are exchanged for cash, credit is issued and large transactions are recorded.In the casinoCard countingCard counting is a blackjack technique that tracks the ratio of high to low cards remaining in the shoe so a player can raise bets when the remaining cards favour them.BlackjackCash outCash out is a feature that lets a bettor settle a bet before the event finishes, for an amount offered by the bookmaker based on the current odds.BettingCashable bonusA cashable bonus is bonus money that converts into withdrawable cash once its wagering requirement and other conditions are met.BonusesCashbackCashback is a promotion that refunds a percentage of a player's net losses over a set period, paid either as cash or as bonus funds.BonusesCluster paysCluster pays is a slot mechanic that awards wins for groups of matching symbols touching each other horizontally or vertically, rather than for symbols on paylines.GamesColumn betA column bet in roulette is a wager on one of the three vertical columns of twelve numbers on the table layout, paying 2 to 1.RouletteCome betA come bet in craps works like a pass line bet but is placed after a point has been established, treating the next roll as its own personal come-out roll.CrapsCome-out rollThe come-out roll is the first roll of a new round in craps, which either settles pass line bets immediately or establishes a 'point' number.CrapsComp pointsComp points are loyalty points that casinos award for gambling activity, usually tracked through a player card, and exchangeable for rewards, free play or status tiers.In the casinoCompsComps, short for complimentaries, are free goods and services a casino gives to customers based on their expected gambling value, such as meals, rooms, show tickets or travel.In the casinoConcessionaireA concessionaire is a company granted an exclusive, time-limited right by a government to operate casino gaming in a jurisdiction, most notably used in Macau.IndustryCooling-off periodA cooling-off period, or time-out, is a short voluntary break during which a player's gambling account is locked, usually for between 24 hours and a few weeks.RegulationCorner betA corner bet in roulette is a wager on four numbers that meet at a corner on the layout, such as 1, 2, 4 and 5, paying 8 to 1.RouletteCrash gameA crash game is a fast online gambling format in which a multiplier rises from 1x until it randomly 'crashes', and players must cash out before the crash to win.GamesCroupierA croupier is a casino employee who runs a gaming table, dealing cards, spinning the roulette wheel, collecting losing bets and paying winners.In the casinoCruksCruks (Centraal Register Uitsluiting Kansspelen) is the Dutch national gambling exclusion register, in force since 1 October 2021, managed by the Kansspelautoriteit.Regulation
D
Dealer hits soft 17Dealer hits soft 17, often abbreviated H17, is a blackjack rule requiring the dealer to draw another card on a soft 17; its opposite, S17, has the dealer stand.BlackjackDeposit limitA deposit limit is a cap on how much money a player can deposit into a gambling account in a day, week or month, set by the player or required by regulation.RegulationDon't passDon't pass is the craps bet against the shooter, winning on 2 or 3 at the come-out, or if a 7 is rolled before the point; it carries a house edge of about 1.36%.CrapsDouble downDouble down is a blackjack option allowing a player to double their original bet after the first two cards in exchange for receiving exactly one more card.BlackjackDozen betA dozen bet in roulette is a wager on one of three groups of twelve numbers, 1 to 12, 13 to 24 or 25 to 36, paying 2 to 1.Roulette
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En prisonEn prison is a roulette rule under which an even-money bet is held, or 'imprisoned', for the next spin when the ball lands on zero, instead of being lost.RouletteEuropean rouletteEuropean roulette is the version of roulette played on a wheel with 37 pockets, numbers 1 to 36 plus a single zero, giving a house edge of about 2.70%.RouletteExpected valueExpected value (EV) is the average amount a bet is mathematically expected to win or lose per wager over many repetitions, calculated from the odds and the payout.GamesEye in the skyEye in the sky is the casino term for the surveillance system and team that monitor gaming floors, tables and cash areas through ceiling-mounted cameras.In the casino
F
Fixed-odds betting terminal (FOBT)A fixed-odds betting terminal (FOBT) is an electronic gaming machine found in British betting shops, offering casino games such as roulette, whose maximum stake was cut from £100 to £2 in April 2019.In the casinoFree betA free bet is a sports betting promotion giving a customer a bet token of a set value; if it wins, usually only the winnings are paid, not the token's stake.BonusesFree spinsFree spins are slot rounds played without deducting a stake, either as an in-game feature triggered by symbols or as a promotional offer from an operator.GamesFull-pay video pokerFull-pay video poker refers to machines whose paytable offers the most favourable standard payouts for a given game, as opposed to 'short-pay' versions with reduced payouts.Games
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Gambler's fallacyThe gambler's fallacy is the mistaken belief that past results of independent random events change the odds of future ones, such as thinking red is 'due' after a run of black.GamesGame providerA game provider is a company that designs and supplies casino games, such as slots, table games or live dealer products, to licensed operators.IndustryGame weightingGame weighting is the percentage of each bet that counts towards a bonus wagering requirement, which differs by game type to reflect each game's house edge.BonusesGamStopGamStop is Great Britain's free national online self-exclusion scheme, launched in April 2018, which blocks a registered person from all UK-licensed online gambling sites and apps.RegulationGrey marketThe grey market refers to gambling offered to players in a country by operators that are not licensed there but are licensed elsewhere, operating in a legal gap rather than outright illegality.IndustryGross gaming revenue (GGR)Gross gaming revenue (GGR) is the total amount staked by customers minus the winnings paid out to them, before bonuses, taxes and operating costs are deducted.Industry
H
HandleHandle is the total amount of money wagered over a period, used especially in US sports betting reporting; in Europe the same figure is usually called turnover or stakes.IndustryHard handA hard hand in blackjack is a hand without an ace, or with an ace that can only count as 1 because counting it as 11 would take the total over 21.BlackjackHardwaysA hardways bet in craps is a wager that 4, 6, 8 or 10 will be rolled as a pair, such as two 3s for hard 6, before it is rolled another way or a 7 appears.CrapsHigh rollerA high roller is a customer who gambles with large stakes, generating revenue for an operator well above average and typically receiving special treatment in return.IndustryHit frequencyHit frequency is the percentage of game rounds, usually slot spins, that produce any winning result, regardless of whether the win is larger than the stake.GamesHoldHold is the percentage of money wagered that an operator keeps as revenue, calculated as gross gaming revenue divided by handle.IndustryHouse edgeHouse edge is the average percentage of each stake that a casino game is mathematically expected to keep over time, built into the rules or payouts of the game.Games
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iGamingiGaming is the industry term for gambling conducted over the internet, covering online casino, slots, poker, bingo and often online sports betting.IndustryImplied probabilityImplied probability is the chance of an outcome suggested by its betting odds, calculated as 1 divided by the decimal odds and usually expressed as a percentage.BettingIn-play bettingIn-play betting is wagering on a sporting event after it has started, with odds that update continuously as the action unfolds.BettingInsuranceInsurance is a blackjack side bet offered when the dealer shows an ace, paying 2 to 1 if the dealer's hidden card completes a blackjack.BlackjackIntegrated resortAn integrated resort is a large development combining a casino with hotels, convention space, retail, dining and entertainment, in which gaming is one part of a wider tourism offer.Industry
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Jacks or BetterJacks or Better is the base version of video poker, in which the lowest paying hand is a pair of jacks or higher and the full-pay version returns about 99.54% with optimal play.GamesJunketA junket is an intermediary that brings high-stakes players to a casino, traditionally arranging travel, credit and debt collection in exchange for a share of the casino's revenue.Industry
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Kansspelautoriteit (KSA)The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) is the gambling regulator of the Netherlands, established on 1 April 2012, which licenses and supervises the Dutch legal online market opened in October 2021.RegulationKickerA kicker is a card in a poker hand that does not form part of the main combination but is used to break ties between hands of the same rank.PokerKnow your customer (KYC)Know your customer (KYC) is the set of checks operators carry out to verify a player's identity, age and address, and to assess their risk profile.Regulation
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La partageLa partage is a roulette rule under which a player loses only half of an even-money bet when the ball lands on zero, cutting the house edge on those bets to about 1.35%.RouletteLicenceA licence is the official authorisation a regulator grants a company to offer gambling or supply gambling products in a jurisdiction, subject to conditions it must meet.RegulationLive dealerLive dealer games are casino table games streamed in real time from a studio or casino floor, where a human croupier deals cards or spins a wheel and players bet online.Games
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Malta Gaming Authority (MGA)The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) is Malta's gambling regulator, founded in 2001 as the Lotteries and Gaming Authority and a major licensing hub for online gambling companies.RegulationMarginMargin, in betting, is the share of total stakes a bookmaker expects to keep over time, derived from the overround built into its prices.BettingMarkerA marker is a form of casino credit: a signed instrument, similar to a cheque, that lets an approved customer draw gambling chips against their bank account.In the casinoMax bet ruleThe max bet rule is a bonus condition limiting the stake a player may place while bonus funds are active, such as £5 per spin, with breaches risking forfeiture of winnings.BonusesMax winMax win is the largest amount a slot can pay on a single spin or feature, usually expressed as a multiple of the stake, such as 5,000x or 50,000x.GamesMegawaysMegaways is a slot mechanic created by Australian studio Big Time Gaming in which the number of symbols on each reel changes every spin, giving up to 117,649 ways to win.GamesMultiplierA multiplier is a game feature that increases a win by a fixed factor, such as 2x or 10x, applied to the base payout of a winning combination or round.GamesMust-drop jackpotA must-drop jackpot is a progressive prize guaranteed to be won before it reaches a stated cap or before a set deadline, such as within each day.Games
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Near missA near miss is an outcome that looks close to a win, such as two jackpot symbols with the third just above or below the line, but which is in fact a loss.GamesNet gaming revenue (NGR)Net gaming revenue (NGR) is gross gaming revenue minus bonus costs and, depending on the company's definition, gaming taxes and other deductions such as payment fees.IndustryNo-deposit bonusA no-deposit bonus is a small promotional credit or set of free spins given to a new customer on registration, without requiring them to deposit money first.BonusesNutsThe nuts is the best possible hand at a given moment in a poker hand, given the community cards on the board, which cannot be beaten by any other holding.Poker
O
Odds betThe odds bet in craps is an additional wager placed behind a pass, don't pass, come or don't come bet after a point is set; it pays true odds and has no house edge.CrapsOdds formatsOdds formats are the ways betting prices are displayed: fractional (5/2), decimal (3.50) and American (+250) are the three main formats and express the same price.BettingOutside betsOutside bets in roulette are wagers on large groups of numbers placed outside the main number grid, such as red or black, odd or even, high or low, dozens and columns.RouletteOverroundOverround is the amount by which the implied probabilities of all outcomes in a betting market add up to more than 100%, representing the bookmaker's built-in margin.Betting
P
Pass lineThe pass line is the basic craps bet that the shooter will win, by rolling 7 or 11 on the come-out, or by repeating the point before a 7; it carries a house edge of about 1.41%.CrapsPaylinesPaylines are the fixed patterns across a slot's reels on which matching symbols must land to produce a win; ways-to-win games replace them with any adjacent-reel match.GamesPaytableA paytable is the information screen or chart that lists what each symbol combination or hand pays in a game, along with the rules of its features.GamesPit bossA pit boss is a casino supervisor who oversees a group of gaming tables, known as the pit, ensuring games run correctly and resolving disputes.In the casinoPot oddsPot odds is the ratio between the current size of a poker pot and the cost of a call, used to judge whether calling is mathematically justified.PokerPrediction marketA prediction market is a platform where users trade contracts that pay out according to the outcome of a future event, with prices reflecting the market's estimate of its probability.IndustryProblem gamblingProblem gambling is gambling that causes harm to the person or those around them, such as financial, relationship or health problems; its clinical form is gambling disorder.RegulationProgressive jackpotA progressive jackpot is a prize that grows as a small share of each qualifying stake is added to it, until it is won and resets to a starting value known as the seed.GamesPunto bancoPunto banco is the most widely played form of baccarat, in which players bet on whether the Player hand, the Banker hand or a tie will finish closest to 9.BaccaratPushA push is a tied result in which the player's stake is returned without a win or loss, most commonly when the player and dealer have equal totals in blackjack.Blackjack
R
RakeRake is the fee a poker room or online site takes from cash game pots, usually a percentage of each pot up to a fixed maximum, as its income for hosting the game.PokerRandom number generator (RNG)A random number generator (RNG) is the software algorithm that determines the outcome of digital casino games, producing unpredictable results for each spin, deal or roll.GamesReality checkA reality check is an on-screen reminder that interrupts online play to show how long a session has lasted and, often, the net amount won or lost.RegulationRegulatorA regulator is the public body responsible for licensing, supervising and enforcing gambling law in a jurisdiction, such as the UK Gambling Commission or the Dutch Kansspelautoriteit.RegulationRemote Gaming DutyRemote Gaming Duty (RGD) is the UK tax on profits from online casino, slots and similar games, charged on gross gaming yield; it rose from 21% to 40% on 1 April 2026.IndustryResponsible gamblingResponsible gambling, increasingly called safer gambling, is the set of policies, tools and duties intended to reduce gambling-related harm among customers.RegulationReturn to player (RTP)Return to player (RTP) is the share of all money staked on a game that it is designed to pay back to players over a very large number of rounds, expressed as a percentage.GamesRevenue shareRevenue share is a commercial model in which one party receives a percentage of the revenue generated by another, common in affiliate deals and B2B supply agreements.Industry
S
Scatter symbolA scatter symbol is a slot symbol that pays or triggers a feature wherever it lands on the reels, without needing to line up on a payline.GamesSelf-exclusionSelf-exclusion is a voluntary arrangement in which a person asks to be barred from gambling with an operator, or across a whole market, for a set period.RegulationShoeA shoe is the box from which a dealer draws cards in table games such as blackjack and baccarat, typically holding six or eight shuffled decks.BlackjackShort deck pokerShort deck poker, also called six-plus hold'em, is a hold'em variant played with a 36-card deck from which the 2s to 5s are removed, changing hand probabilities and rankings.PokerSix lineA six line in roulette is a wager on two adjacent rows of three numbers, six numbers in total, such as 1 to 6, paying 5 to 1.RouletteSlot floorThe slot floor is the area of a land-based casino given over to slot machines and other electronic gaming machines, often its largest source of revenue.In the casinoSocial casinoA social casino is a casino-style game, usually on mobile or social media, played with virtual currency that can be bought but cannot be cashed out for money or prizes.IndustrySoft handA soft hand in blackjack is a hand containing an ace counted as 11 without exceeding 21, so drawing one more card cannot make it bust.BlackjackSource of fundsSource of funds is a check in which an operator establishes where the money a customer is gambling comes from, such as salary, savings or an inheritance, to rule out crime or harm.RegulationSplit betA split bet in roulette is a wager on two adjacent numbers on the table layout, placed on the line between them, paying 17 to 1 if either number wins.RouletteSplitting pairsSplitting pairs in blackjack means separating a starting hand of two equal-value cards into two hands, each with its own bet equal to the original stake.BlackjackStake limitA stake limit is a legal maximum on how much can be bet on a single game round, such as Great Britain's cap of £5 per spin on online slots for adults aged 25 and over.RegulationSticky bonusA sticky bonus is bonus money that can be used to play but can never be withdrawn itself; when the player cashes out, the bonus amount is removed from the balance.BonusesStraight upA straight-up bet in roulette is a wager on a single number, including zero, which pays 35 to 1 if the ball lands on that number.RouletteStreet betA street bet in roulette is a wager on a row of three consecutive numbers across the table layout, such as 7, 8 and 9, paying 11 to 1.RouletteSurrenderSurrender is a blackjack option letting a player give up a hand after seeing their first two cards and recover half of their stake.BlackjackSweepstakes casinoA sweepstakes casino is an online casino-style platform, mainly in the US, that uses a dual-currency model and sweepstakes law to offer prizes redeemable for cash without a gambling licence.Industry
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Texas hold'emTexas hold'em is the most widely played form of poker, in which each player gets two private cards and shares five community cards to make the best five-card hand.PokerThird-card ruleThe third-card rule is the fixed set of baccarat drawing rules that determines whether the Player or Banker hand receives a third card, with no choice for players.BaccaratTie betA tie bet in baccarat is a wager that the Player and Banker hands will finish with the same total, usually paying 8 to 1 with a house edge of about 14.36%.BaccaratTribal compactA tribal compact is an agreement between a US state and a federally recognised Native American tribe setting the terms under which the tribe may offer casino-style gaming.RegulationTrue countTrue count is a card counter's running count divided by the estimated number of decks left in the shoe, giving a measure of advantage that is comparable across shoe sizes.BlackjackTurnkey solutionA turnkey solution is a complete, ready-made gambling platform supplied by a B2B provider, including software, games, payments and back office, which an operator can launch under its own licence.Industry
U
V
Video pokerVideo poker is a single-player machine game based on five-card draw poker, in which the player keeps or discards cards and is paid according to a fixed paytable.GamesVIP programmeA VIP programme is an operator scheme that offers extra rewards, account managers and personalised incentives to its highest-spending customers.IndustryVolatilityVolatility, also called variance, describes how a game distributes its return: low-volatility games pay small wins often, high-volatility games pay larger wins less frequently.Games
W
Wagering requirementA wagering requirement is the amount a player must bet before bonus funds or winnings from them can be withdrawn, usually expressed as a multiple of the bonus.BonusesWelcome bonusA welcome bonus is a promotional incentive offered to new customers when they register or make a first deposit, often a percentage match of the deposit or a set of free spins.BonusesWhaleWhale is informal industry slang for a customer who gambles exceptionally large sums, enough that their individual results can affect a casino's reported revenue.IndustryWhite labelA white label is an arrangement in which a brand runs a gambling site using another company's licence, platform and operations, putting only its own branding and marketing on top.IndustryWild symbolA wild symbol is a slot symbol that substitutes for other symbols to help complete winning combinations, usually excluding scatters and bonus symbols.Games