The reference
The iGaming glossary, built to be cited
Canonical, neutral definitions with a worked example for every term — the evergreen asset behind the whole portal.
451 terms
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21+3A blackjack side bet that combines your two cards with the dealer's up-card to form a three-card poker hand, paying if that hand is a flush, straight, three of a kind or better.core
3-D SecureA card-scheme security protocol that adds an authentication step between the customer, their bank, and the merchant during an online card payment.core
75-Ball BingoThe dominant North American bingo format played on a 5x5 grid of numbers 1-75, where players win by completing a designated pattern rather than simply filling lines.beginner
90-Ball BingoThe traditional UK and European bingo format played on a 9x3 ticket with numbers 1-90, offering three prizes per game: one line, two lines and a full house.beginner
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AccumulatorA single bet that links several selections together, where every selection must win for the bet to pay out.core
Acquiring Bank / MCC 7995The bank that processes card payments for a merchant, where MCC 7995 is the merchant category code that flags gambling transactions.advanced
Active PlayersActive Players is the count of unique players who took a real action — such as logging in, depositing, or placing a bet — during a set period like a day or a month.core
AffiliateAn affiliate is an independent marketer or website that sends new players to a gambling operator and gets paid a commission for the traffic it refers.core
Affiliate NetworkA platform or programme that connects operators with affiliates who refer players in exchange for commission.core
Affordability CheckA check an operator runs to judge whether a player can afford their gambling losses without falling into financial harm.advanced
Age VerificationThe process an operator uses to confirm a customer is old enough to gamble legally before letting them deposit or play.beginner
AggregatorA company that connects an online casino to many game studios through a single technical integration, so the operator can offer thousands of games without integrating each provider one by one.core
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)Independent, out-of-court processes that resolve disputes between players and operators, typically after the operator's own complaints procedure is exhausted.core
AML (Anti-Money Laundering)AML is the set of rules and checks gambling operators use to stop criminals from disguising illegal money as legitimate betting funds.core
Anonymous-Gambling RiskThe dangers of gambling on sites that claim little or no identity verification, from weak consumer protection to legal and traceability exposure.core
API IntegrationConnecting two systems so they exchange data and actions through a defined interface, the basic mechanism by which operators plug in games, payments, KYC and other services.beginner
Arbitrage BettingPlacing bets on every outcome across different bookmakers whose combined implied probability is under 100%, locking in a small guaranteed profit whatever the result.advanced
ARPPUAverage revenue generated per player who actually deposited or wagered in a period, excluding non-paying registrants.core
ARPUThe average amount of revenue an operator earns per user over a set period, found by dividing total revenue by the number of users.core
Asian HandicapA handicap market that removes the draw by giving one team a head start or deficit, sometimes in quarter increments that split your stake across two lines.core
Auto RouletteA live roulette variant spun by an automated mechanism with no human dealer, allowing very fast, continuous, low-cost rounds.beginner
AvalancheA specific branded style of cascading reels in which symbols crumble away after a win and a multiplier typically steps up with each consecutive fall.core
Average BetAverage bet is the mean amount a player stakes per game round, found by dividing total money wagered by the number of rounds played.core
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B2B vs B2CB2B companies sell products and services to other gambling businesses, while B2C companies run the brands that take bets and deposits directly from players.core
B2C vs B2B LicenceThe distinction between licences for operators that offer gambling directly to players and licences for suppliers that provide games or platforms to those operators.core
BaccaratA casino card game in which you bet on which of two hands — Player or Banker — will total closest to nine, or that the two hands will Tie.core
Baccarat CommissionThe standard 5% fee a casino charges on winning Banker bets in baccarat, which offsets the Banker hand's natural advantage and creates the house's margin.core
Baccarat RoadmapThe grid of coloured marks displayed beside live baccarat that records the history of banker, player, and tie results across recent hands.advanced
Baccarat SqueezeA dramatic slow reveal of the cards in live baccarat, where the presenter gradually bends and exposes each card to build tension.core
Back BetThe traditional bet that an outcome WILL happen, paired on an exchange with someone laying it.beginner
Back OfficeThe internal administrative interface operators and their staff use to manage players, transactions, bonuses, content and reports behind the scenes.beginner
Bad BeatLosing a hand you were a strong favorite to win because an opponent hits an unlikely card.beginner
Bank Gambling BlockA feature offered by many banks that lets a customer block gambling transactions on their card or account.core
Bank Wire TransferA manual bank-to-bank transfer of funds, typically used for larger deposits and withdrawals, that clears over one to several business days.beginner
Bankroll ManagementThe discipline of keeping enough dedicated funds and playing stakes small enough to survive normal downswings without going broke.core
Base GameThe standard, everyday spinning of a slot outside of any bonus round or free-spin feature.beginner
Basic StrategyThe mathematically optimal way to play every blackjack hand, shown as a chart, that reduces the house edge to its lowest possible level without card counting.advanced
Beneficial Owner (UBO)The real person who ultimately owns or controls a customer or company, as opposed to the name that appears on paper.core
Bet BehindA live-blackjack feature that lets extra players wager on the hand of a seated player they choose, sharing that hand's outcome without controlling the decisions.core
Bet BuilderA bet builder lets you combine several bets from the same match — such as the winner, the total goals, and a player to score — into one single bet that only pays out if every part wins.core
Bet MultiplierA bet multiplier is the number a game multiplies your stake by to work out how much a winning outcome pays.core
Bet SettlementThe process by which a bookmaker or exchange officially determines a bet's result and credits winnings or collects the stake.beginner
Betting ExchangeA peer-to-peer marketplace where bettors wager against each other by backing and laying outcomes, with the operator taking a commission instead of building in a margin.core
Betting SyndicateA group that pools money to buy more entries or bets and shares any winnings in proportion to each member's contribution.core
Bingo Chat GamesInformal mini-games run by a chat moderator alongside bingo, awarding small bonus prizes for interaction rather than for the bingo cards themselves.beginner
Bingo PatternThe specific arrangement of marked numbers a player must complete on their bingo card to win.beginner
Bingo Roomball / SessionA bingo 'room' is a themed game lobby defined by its ball count and stake, while a 'session' is a scheduled block of consecutive games run within it.core
Bitcoin (BTC) GamblingGambling with Bitcoin as the deposit and payout currency, exposing the player to both the house edge and Bitcoin's price swings.beginner
Black Market (Gambling)Operators serving a jurisdiction without holding its licence, in breach of that market's law — as opposed to the licensed market or the ambiguous grey market.core
BlackjackA casino card game in which you try to build a hand that totals as close to 21 as possible, without going over, and that beats the dealer's hand.beginner
Blackjack InsuranceAn optional blackjack side bet offered when the dealer shows an ace, wagering that the dealer has a ten-value hole card for a natural blackjack, paid at 2:1.core
Blackjack SurrenderA blackjack option to forfeit a hand and reclaim half your bet rather than playing it out, used on very weak hands against a strong dealer up-card.advanced
Blinds and AntesForced bets posted before cards are seen that seed the pot and force action.beginner
BlockchainA shared, append-only digital ledger that records transactions across many computers so entries are very hard to alter retroactively.beginner
Blockchain ExplorerA public website or tool for searching and viewing transactions, addresses and blocks recorded on a blockchain.beginner
Blocking Software (Gamban / Gamblock)Software installed on a device that blocks access to gambling websites and apps across the whole system.core
BluffBetting or raising with a weak hand to make opponents fold better hands and win the pot without a showdown.beginner
Bonus / Promotion FraudExploiting deposit bonuses, free bets, or other promotions in ways they were not intended, often for guaranteed value rather than genuine play.core
Bonus AbuseBonus abuse is exploiting a casino or sportsbook promotion in ways it was never designed to allow — often to lock in value at little or no real risk — rather than playing the offer as intended.core
Bonus Abuse RatioA measure of how much of an operator's bonus spend goes to players exploiting promotions rather than genuinely engaging.advanced
Bonus BuyAn option to pay a fixed price to trigger a slot's bonus feature immediately instead of waiting for it to land naturally.core
Bonus CostBonus cost is the monetary value of the bonuses, free bets, and free spins an operator grants to players, counted as a cost that is subtracted from Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) to arrive at Net Gaming Revenue (NGR).core
Bonus EngineThe subsystem that creates, grants and tracks bonuses and promotions, enforcing rules such as wagering requirements, game weightings and eligibility.core
Bonus RatioBonus cost expressed as a percentage of revenue, showing how much of the top line is spent on promotions.core
Bonus RoundA bonus round is a special feature within a slot or casino game — separate from normal play — that unlocks under set conditions and offers enhanced or alternative ways to win.beginner
Bookmaker MarginThe bookmaker's built-in edge, seen when the implied probabilities of all outcomes in a market sum to more than 100%.core
Brand vs Performance MarketingThe contrast between marketing that builds long-term awareness and trust (brand) and marketing bought for measurable short-term response (performance).core
Buy FeatureA slot mechanic that lets a player pay a fixed price — usually a multiple of their normal stake — to trigger a bonus round straight away instead of waiting for it to land during regular play.advanced
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Card CountingA blackjack skill of tracking the ratio of high to low cards remaining in the shoe to estimate when the odds temporarily shift toward the player.advanced
Card DepositA deposit funded by entering debit or credit card details, processed over a card scheme such as Visa or Mastercard.beginner
Cascading ReelsA mechanic where winning symbols are removed and new ones fall in to fill the gaps, allowing chained wins from a single spin.beginner
Cash Game vs TournamentThe two main poker formats: cash games use chips worth real money that you can leave anytime, while tournaments use non-cashable chips and play down to winners for a prize pool.core
Cash OutCash Out is a sportsbook feature that lets you settle a bet before the event finishes, taking a value the operator offers based on the current odds instead of waiting for the final result.core
CashbackA promotion that returns a set percentage of a player's net losses over a period as a rebate.core
Casino Hold'emA simplified house-banked version of Texas Hold'em where the player makes one call-or-fold decision after seeing the flop, then competes against the dealer's five-card hand.core
Casino WarA very simple card game where player and dealer each receive one card and the higher card wins, with a special 'war' resolution when the two cards tie.beginner
ChannelisationThe share of a jurisdiction's gambling activity that takes place with licensed, regulated operators rather than on the unlicensed black market — a key measure of a regime's real-world effectiveness.core
ChargebackA chargeback is when a player's bank forcibly reverses a card deposit and pulls the money back from the operator, usually after the cardholder disputes the transaction.core
Chargeback Reason CodeA card-scheme code that classifies why a cardholder or issuer has disputed a transaction.advanced
Chasing LossesContinuing to gamble — often with bigger or riskier bets — in an attempt to win back money already lost.core
Chroma-Key StudioA live-casino set using a green or blue screen background that software replaces with digital scenery, letting themed and animated environments surround the dealer.core
Churn RateChurn rate is the share of a gambling site's active players who stop playing during a given period, usually measured each month.core
Closing Line ValueThe difference between the odds you took and the final odds when the market closed, used as a proxy for whether you are beating the market.advanced
Cluster PaysA slot win model where you are paid for groups of matching symbols that touch each other on the grid, instead of for symbols lined up along fixed paylines.core
Cognitive Distortions (Gambling)Systematic errors in thinking about chance and odds that lead people to over-estimate their chances of winning.advanced
Cohort AnalysisA method that groups players by a shared start point — usually sign-up or first-deposit month — and tracks each group's behaviour over time.core
Coin-InCoin-in is the total amount players wager on a slot or electronic gaming machine over a period, counted before any winnings are paid back out.core
Cold vs Hot WalletThe distinction between wallets kept offline for safety (cold) and wallets connected to the internet for convenience (hot).core
Community CardsFace-up cards dealt to the center of the table that all players share to build their hands.beginner
Comp PointsComp points are loyalty points a player earns by wagering, which can later be exchanged for bonus credit, cash, or other rewards.core
Configurable RTPA game released with several selectable return-to-player versions, letting the operator deploy a higher or lower RTP variant of the same title.advanced
Content Management System (iGaming)The system for managing player-facing site content, such as game lobbies, banners, promotions pages and localized text, without redeploying the whole platform.beginner
Continuation Bet (C-bet)A bet made on the flop by the player who took the betting lead before the flop, continuing their aggression.core
Continuous Shuffling MachineA device that continuously reshuffles returned cards back into the deck after every hand, so the shoe is effectively never depleted and there is no cut card.advanced
Contribution MarginRevenue left after subtracting the variable costs directly tied to serving a player or segment, before fixed overheads.advanced
Cooling-Off PeriodA cooling-off period is a short, temporary block a player puts on their own account to pause gambling for a set time, after which the account normally reopens on its own.core
Correct ScoreA bet predicting the exact final score of a match, offering long odds because there are many possible outcomes.beginner
Coverall / BlackoutA 75-ball bingo pattern requiring every number on the card to be marked, usually the game's top and hardest prize.beginner
CPA (Cost Per Acquisition)CPA is the marketing cost of turning one new person into a paying customer — the total acquisition spend divided by the number of new depositors it produced.core
CrapsA dice game in which players bet on the outcome of rolls of two dice, structured around a 'come-out' roll and, if no immediate decision, a 'point' number that must be repeated before a 7 appears.core
Craps Come BetA craps wager identical in logic to the Pass Line but placed after a point is already set, effectively starting a fresh come-out sequence for that individual bet.advanced
Craps Odds BetAn additional craps bet placed behind an existing Pass or Don't Pass wager once a point is set, uniquely paid at true odds so it carries a 0% house edge.advanced
CRM AutomationSoftware-driven, triggered player communications and journeys that run automatically based on behaviour and segments.core
Cross-SellEncouraging a player active in one product to also play another — for example moving a sportsbook bettor into casino games.core
Crypto WalletSoftware or hardware that stores the private keys used to control and move a user's cryptocurrency.beginner
Cryptocurrency CasinoA gambling site that accepts deposits, wagers and withdrawals in cryptocurrencies rather than (or alongside) traditional fiat currency.beginner
Curaçao LicenceA Curaçao Licence is a long-standing offshore online-gambling permit issued from the Caribbean country of Curaçao that is cheap and fast to obtain, and that historically let a single licence cover every game type — which is why many online operators have used it.core
Custodial vs Non-Custodial WalletWhether a third party (custodial) or the user alone (non-custodial) controls the private keys, and therefore the crypto.core
Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)The total marketing and sales spend divided by the number of new depositing players it produced over a period.core
Customer Due Diligence (CDD)The set of identity, verification and risk-assessment checks a gambling operator performs to understand who a customer is before and during a business relationship.core
Cut Card & ShoeThe 'shoe' is the box that holds and dispenses multiple decks of cards, and the 'cut card' is a coloured marker inserted to mark where dealing stops before a reshuffle.core
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Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS)Contests where players draft a virtual roster of real athletes under a salary cap and win prizes based on those athletes' real statistical performance, with the operator taking a rake.core
Data Protection (GDPR in iGaming)The obligations governing how operators collect, use, secure and retain the large volumes of personal and financial data their compliance duties generate.core
Data Warehouse / BIA central store of an operator's data plus the tools to analyze it, powering reporting on players, revenue, game performance, risk and compliance.core
DAU / MAUThe count of unique players active in a single day (DAU) versus in a rolling or calendar month (MAU).beginner
DealerA dealer is the trained human host who runs a live casino table game in real time — dealing the cards or spinning the wheel — while players watch and place bets over a video stream.beginner
Decline RateThe share of attempted payments that are rejected rather than approved, usually by the issuing bank.core
DeFi (Decentralised Finance)Financial services such as lending, trading and yield built on public blockchains via smart contracts instead of banks or brokers.core
Deposit BonusExtra bonus funds an operator credits as a percentage of the money you deposit.beginner
Deposit FrequencyHow often, on average, a player funds their account within a given period.core
Deposit LimitA deposit limit is a cap a player sets on how much money they can pay into their gambling account within a chosen period, such as a day, week, or month.beginner
DNFBPA FATF category of non-bank businesses, including casinos, that are brought within anti-money-laundering obligations because of their laundering risk.advanced
Dormant AccountA player account that has had no real activity for a set period, which triggers specific operator rules for how it is flagged, communicated about, and how any remaining balance is handled.core
Double ChanceA single bet that covers two of the three possible outcomes in a match, lowering risk in exchange for lower odds.beginner
Double DownA blackjack move that doubles your original bet in exchange for receiving exactly one more card, used when a single additional card is likely to produce a strong winning hand.core
Draw No BetA bet on one team to win where a drawn result voids the wager and returns your stake.core
Draw-Based GamesAn umbrella category for games whose outcome is a periodic random draw of numbers or symbols, including lotteries, keno and numbers games.core
Dual PlayA live game streamed from a table on a real land-based casino floor, where on-site and online players bet on the very same wheel or shoe.core
Dunning / RetryThe scheduled process of re-attempting failed payments and prompting the customer to fix them so a transaction eventually succeeds.core
Duty of CareThe responsibility of a gambling operator to take reasonable steps to protect customers from gambling-related harm.core
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E-walletAn e-wallet is an online account (such as Skrill, Neteller, or PayPal) that stores money electronically and lets a player move funds into and out of a gambling site without sharing card or bank details directly with the operator.beginner
Each-WayOne bet split into two, a Win part and a Place part, so you can still collect if your selection finishes in the top few rather than first.core
Enhanced Due DiligenceThe deeper set of identity, background, and source-of-funds checks an operator must run on customers who present a higher money-laundering risk.advanced
EquityYour share of the pot based on the probability your hand will win if all remaining cards were dealt out.core
Esports BettingBetting on the outcomes of competitive video-game matches, such as MOBA, shooter and strategy titles, at bookmaker odds carrying the usual margin.core
Esports Map/Match MarketsThe specific esports bet types built around individual maps or games within a series and around overall match results, including handicaps and totals.advanced
European vs American RouletteThe two main roulette wheel designs, distinguished by whether the wheel has one zero (European) or two zero pockets (American), which sharply changes the built-in house edge.beginner
Even-Money BetAny wager that pays winnings equal to the stake (1:1), so a winning bet returns your stake plus the same amount again.beginner
Event StreamingA pattern where systems publish a continuous stream of events, such as bets, logins and deposits, that many other systems consume in near real time.advanced
Expanding WildA wild symbol that stretches to cover an entire reel (or row) after it lands, turning every position it fills into a wild.core
Expected Goals (xG)A statistical model that assigns each scoring chance a probability of becoming a goal, summing to an estimate of how many goals a team should have scored.core
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Fair ShareFair share compares how much of a portfolio a supplier or title takes up against how much of the revenue it generates, showing whether it earns its footprint.advanced
Feature FrequencyHow often a slot's main feature, such as free spins, is triggered on average, usually stated as roughly one in so many spins.core
Financial Action Task Force (FATF)The intergovernmental body that sets international standards for combating money laundering and terrorist financing.core
Financial Risk CheckA check on whether a customer's gambling spend is likely to be financially harmful, ranging from light-touch vulnerability signals to more detailed assessments.core
First Time DepositorA first time depositor (FTD) is a newly registered player at the moment they fund their account with real money for the first time — the point at which a sign-up becomes a paying customer.core
First-Person GamesRNG-powered digital versions of live-casino games, played without a human dealer but styled to match their live counterparts and often linked to them.core
Fixed JackpotA top prize set at a constant value that does not grow with play, unlike a progressive jackpot.beginner
Fixed OddsA bet whose payout rate is locked in at the odds shown when you place it, no matter how the odds move afterwards.beginner
Flop, Turn, and RiverThe three named stages at which community cards are revealed in Hold'em and Omaha, each followed by a betting round.beginner
Fold EquityThe additional value a bet or raise gains from the chance that opponents fold and you win the pot uncontested.advanced
Fraud (iGaming)Fraud in iGaming is any deliberate deception — such as using stolen cards, fake identities, or someone else's account — to take money or an unfair advantage from a gambling operator or its players.core
Fraud Detection SystemSoftware that monitors player behavior and transactions to detect and block fraud, abuse and financial crime, from stolen-card deposits to bonus abuse and collusion.core
Free BetA free bet is a sportsbook credit that lets you place a wager without staking your own money, but if it wins you receive only the winnings — the free-bet stake itself is not returned.beginner
Free SpinsA feature that grants a set number of slot spins the player does not pay a stake for, while any winnings are still added to their balance.beginner
Friendly FraudWhen a genuine cardholder disputes a legitimate transaction to get their money back, whether by mistake or on purpose.core
Full House (Bingo)In 90-ball bingo, the top prize awarded for being first to mark all fifteen numbers on a ticket.beginner
Futures / Ante-PostBets placed well in advance on an outcome decided later, such as a league or tournament winner, typically with money tied up for weeks or months.core
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Gamble FeatureAn optional round, offered after a paying spin, in which a player can risk that win on a chance event — typically a card-colour guess — to double it or lose it entirely.core
GambleFiAn emerging category that merges online gambling with decentralised-finance mechanics such as tokens, liquidity pools and yield.advanced
Gambler's FallacyThe false belief that past independent outcomes change the odds of future ones — e.g. that a colour is 'due' after a run.core
Gambling HarmAny negative consequence of gambling to a person's finances, health, relationships, work, or wider community.beginner
Gambling MonopolyA market model in which a single operator — usually state-owned — holds exclusive rights to offer some or all gambling, instead of the market being opened to competitive licensing.core
GamCareA leading UK charity providing free information, advice, and support for anyone affected by gambling harm.beginner
Game Aggregation LayerA middle layer that connects an operator to many game studios through one integration, so the operator gets hundreds of games without integrating each provider separately.core
Game CertificationIndependent testing that confirms a game's fairness, randomness and return-to-player behave as described and meet regulatory technical standards.core
Game Control Unit (GCU)A small device attached to each live table that encodes the video feed and manages the game data, often described as the heart of a live table.advanced
Game Launch FlowThe sequence of steps and token exchanges that happens between the moment a player clicks a game and the game loading with the right identity, currency and session established.core
Game PresenterThe trained on-camera host who deals cards, spins the wheel, and narrates a live-casino game for streaming players.beginner
Game Provider (Studio)A company that designs and builds the actual casino games — slots, table games, live dealer content — that operators offer to players.core
Game RoundA game round is one complete cycle of play, from the moment a stake is committed to the moment the win or loss is settled.core
Game ShowA live casino format in which a human presenter hosts a wheel-, dice-, or ball-based game from a broadcast-style studio, combining simple bets with television-game-show entertainment.core
Game ThemeA game theme is a distinct, uniquely branded slot title — its own name, artwork and story — counted as one unit of a supplier's portfolio.core
Game Theory Optimal (GTO)A theoretically balanced strategy designed to be unexploitable, so no opponent can profit by adjusting to it.advanced
Game WeightingGame weighting is the percentage at which bets on a particular game count toward clearing a bonus's wagering requirement.advanced
GAMSTOPGAMSTOP is a free British scheme that lets a person block themselves, with a single sign-up, from every online gambling website and app licensed in Great Britain for a chosen period of at least six months.core
Gas FeeThe fee paid to a blockchain network to process and confirm a transaction, especially on smart-contract chains like Ethereum.core
Geolocation ComplianceVerifying a player's physical location to ensure gambling is offered only where the operator is licensed and permitted to do so.core
Geolocation TechnologyTechnology that verifies where a player is physically located so an operator can restrict play to jurisdictions where it is licensed and block prohibited locations.core
GGR (Gross Gaming Revenue)GGR is the money an operator keeps from bets after paying out winnings — total stakes minus total winnings paid to players.core
Gibraltar LicensingA gambling operating licence issued by the Government of Gibraltar under its Gambling Act 2005, historically favoured by large, established operators — many of them UK-facing.advanced
Gnoming (linked accounts)Using secondary linked accounts, controlled by or colluding with a main player, to funnel funds or advantages to that main account.advanced
Grey MarketA grey market is a country or region where online gambling is neither officially licensed nor clearly banned, so operators serve players in a legal grey zone.advanced
Grid SlotA slot laid out as a symbol grid (such as 6x5 or 8x8) rather than classic separate reels, usually paying by clusters or scatter pays.core
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Hand RangeThe full set of possible hands a player could hold in a given situation, rather than a single guessed hand.core
Hand RankingsThe fixed order that ranks poker hands from weakest to strongest, deciding who wins a showdown.beginner
Handicap / LineA virtual advantage or deficit applied to a team or player to level an uneven contest, expressed as points or goals added to their final result.beginner
HandleHandle is the total amount of money players wager over a period, counted before any winnings are paid back out.core
Hash-Based Fairness VerificationThe cryptographic hashing technique behind provably fair games that lets players confirm an outcome was fixed before betting and not altered.advanced
Hit FrequencyHit frequency is how often a slot or game pays out any win at all, shown as the percentage of spins that return something.core
HoldHold is the share of the money players wager that the operator actually keeps as revenue over a period of time.core
Hold and WinA feature where special symbols lock in place and grant respins, resetting the respin count each time a new one lands.core
Hold PercentageThe share of all the money wagered (the handle) that an operator keeps as revenue after paying out winnings, measured over a period of play.advanced
Hole CardsThe private cards dealt face down to each player that only they can use and see.beginner
House EdgeThe house edge is the built-in mathematical advantage that ensures a casino keeps a small percentage of every amount wagered over the long run.beginner
House Token / Rakeback TokenA platform-issued crypto token that distributes a share of a crypto casino's revenue or rake back to holders.advanced
Hybrid DealAn affiliate payment deal that combines a one-off fee for each new depositing player with an ongoing cut of the revenue those players later generate.core
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Idempotency (Wallet)A design property that guarantees processing the same wallet request more than once, for example after a timeout and retry, has the same effect as processing it once, so a bet is never double-charged.advanced
If-BetA linked sequence of wagers where each later bet is only placed if the previous one meets a stated condition, capping how much of your bankroll is ever at risk.advanced
iGamingiGaming is the industry's umbrella term for gambling with real money over the internet, such as online casino games, sports betting, and poker.beginner
Illusion of ControlThe mistaken belief that one can influence the outcome of a game that is actually determined by chance.core
Implied OddsAn extension of pot odds that accounts for additional chips you expect to win on later streets if you hit your hand.core
In-Play BettingIn-play betting is placing a wager on a sporting event after it has already started, while the action is still in progress and the odds keep changing.core
Independent Chip Model (ICM)A model that converts tournament chip stacks into their real-money equity based on payout structure.advanced
Inside & Outside BetsThe two families of roulette wagers: inside bets on specific numbers or small groups (higher payout, lower chance) and outside bets on large groups such as colour or odd/even (lower payout, higher chance).beginner
Instant Bank TransferA payment that moves money directly between bank accounts in real time, typically authorised by logging into the payer's bank.core
Instant Crypto WithdrawalA cashout that returns crypto to the player's wallet quickly, often within minutes, and is frequently marketed as a headline feature.beginner
Instant Win GameAny game that reveals a win or loss immediately from a pre-set pool or RNG, without waiting for a scheduled draw.beginner
InteracA Canadian interbank payment network whose e-Transfer and online services let customers pay directly from a bank account without sharing card details.core
Interaction (Customer Interaction / RG Intervention)A deliberate contact an operator makes with a player showing possible signs of harm, to check in and offer support.advanced
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Kelly CriterionA staking formula that sizes each bet in proportion to your edge to maximise long-term bankroll growth.advanced
KenoA lottery-style game where players pick numbers from a large field (usually 1-80) and are paid according to how many match a random draw, typically at a very high house edge.core
Key Person LicenceA personal authorisation required for individuals who hold designated key roles or significant control within a licensed gambling operator.advanced
KYC (Know Your Customer)KYC is the process a licensed gambling operator uses to confirm who you really are — your identity, age, and location — before letting you fully deposit, play, or withdraw.core
KYC ProviderA third-party service operators integrate to verify a player's identity and age, checking documents, data and watchlists to satisfy Know Your Customer rules.core
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La Partage / En PrisonTwo French-roulette rules that soften the loss on even-money bets when the ball lands on zero, roughly halving the house edge for those specific wagers.core
LatencyThe delay between a request and its response, a critical measure for live betting, real-time wallets and live casino where small delays affect fairness and experience.beginner
Lay BetBetting that an outcome will NOT happen, effectively acting as the bookmaker by accepting someone else's backing stake.core
Layer-2A secondary network built on top of a base blockchain to make transactions faster and cheaper while inheriting the base layer's security.advanced
LayoffWhen a bookmaker reduces its own risk on a market by placing offsetting bets with other books or on an exchange.advanced
LiabilityLiability is the most money a bookmaker could be forced to pay out if a particular result comes in, based on all the bets already taken on that market.advanced
Licence & JurisdictionA licence is a government regulator's official permission for a gambling company to operate, and the jurisdiction is the specific country or territory whose rules that licence is tied to.core
Licence TetheringA requirement — common in US states — that an online gambling licence be tied to an existing land-based casino, which holds the licence and partners with online brands ('skins').advanced
Lifetime Value (LTV)Lifetime Value is an estimate of the total net revenue a player is expected to generate for an operator across the whole time they remain active.core
Lightning Roulette (Multiplier Live Games)A family of live games that overlay random multipliers on a classic table game, funding the extra payouts by cutting the base win so the house edge is preserved.core
Live CasinoAn online casino format where real human dealers run real games such as roulette, blackjack, or baccarat in real time over a live video stream that players bet on from their own device.core
Live Dealer StreamingThe video technology that captures the dealer and table and delivers a low-latency, adaptive-quality feed to each player's device in real time.core
Live Game ShowAn entertainment-format live-casino game hosted by a presenter, blending a physical device such as a wheel or board with random-number elements and often large multipliers.beginner
Live StudioA purpose-built broadcast facility where real dealers run casino games in front of cameras that are streamed live to online players.beginner
Localised TablesLive tables staffed by dealers speaking a specific language and styled for a particular market, so players can play in their own language and cultural setting.core
Loss LimitA cap a player sets on how much they can lose (deposits minus withdrawals or winnings) over a chosen period.core
LotteryA draw-based game in which players buy numbered entries hoping to match randomly drawn numbers, funded on a pari-mutuel basis with a large takeout deducted before prizes.beginner
Loyalty ProgrammeA tiered rewards scheme that gives players points and escalating perks for continued play, encouraging them to keep returning to the same operator.core
M20
Malta Gaming AuthorityThe Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) is Malta's government regulator that licenses and supervises remote and land-based gambling operators, and is one of the most widely used licensing bases for companies serving European markets.core
Markers of HarmObservable behaviours and account patterns that may signal a player is experiencing, or at risk of, gambling harm.advanced
Marketing AttributionThe practice of assigning credit for a conversion across the marketing touchpoints a player encountered before signing up or depositing.advanced
Marketing Consent / Opt-inThe recorded permission a player gives to receive marketing, and the legal basis governing which channels an operator may use.core
Max Bet RuleA bonus term that caps how much you can stake on any single bet while a wagering requirement is still active.core
Max WinThe most a game can ever pay from a single spin or round, stated as a multiple of the stake.core
MegawaysMegaways is a licensed slot mechanic in which each reel shows a random number of symbols on every spin, so the number of ways to win changes spin to spin — famously up to 117,649.core
Mixer / TumblerA service that blends many users' crypto together to obscure the trail between source and destination addresses.advanced
Mobile Wallet (Apple/Google Pay)A wallet on a phone or device that pays using a tokenized version of a stored card, authenticated by biometrics or a passcode.core
Money LaunderingThe process of disguising the illegal origin of criminal proceeds so they appear to come from a legitimate source.beginner
Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO)The senior individual accountable for an operator's anti-money-laundering programme and for the decision to report suspicious activity to the authorities.core
Money WheelA large vertical spinning wheel divided into numbered segments on which players bet where it will stop, and the format that launched the live game-show category.beginner
MoneylineA bet on which side simply wins the event, with no point spread or handicap involved — you just pick the winner.core
Multi-AccountingMulti-accounting is when one person secretly runs several accounts at the same gambling site — instead of the single account they are allowed — to claim bonuses repeatedly, dodge limits, or get around a self-exclusion.core
Multi-Camera / Immersive ViewA presentation style using several camera angles — wide shots, close-ups, and slow-motion — to give live games a more cinematic, immersive feel.beginner
Multi-tablingPlaying several online poker tables at once to increase the number of hands played per hour.core
Multi-TenancyAn architecture where one shared platform instance serves multiple brands or operators (tenants) at once, keeping each tenant's data and configuration logically separated.advanced
Multiplier (Slots)A value that multiplies a win by a stated factor, such as x2 or x10, increasing the payout for that combination.beginner
Must-Drop JackpotA jackpot guaranteed to pay out before it passes a set value, time, or condition, though not necessarily to a particular player.advanced
Mystery SymbolA placeholder symbol that reveals or transforms into another symbol after landing, with the revealed identity decided by the game's RNG.core
N12
National Gambling HelplineA free, confidential telephone and online support service for people affected by gambling, available in many countries.beginner
Near-Miss (Anticipation)A losing outcome displayed to look like it just barely fell short of a win, often heightened by reel-slowing anticipation animations.advanced
Near-Miss EffectThe tendency for an almost-win to feel encouraging and prompt continued play, even though it is still a loss.advanced
Negative CarryoverA clause in a revenue-share affiliate deal that rolls a negative monthly result (when referred players win more than they lose) forward into the next month, so the affiliate must clear that deficit before earning commission again.advanced
Network (Wide-Area) JackpotA progressive jackpot pooled across many games, operators, or sites so it grows quickly to very large sums.advanced
Next-Best-ActionA decisioning approach that picks, for each player at each moment, the single most appropriate message, offer, or intervention.advanced
NGR (Net Gaming Revenue)NGR is what an operator actually keeps from players' bets after paying out wins and then subtracting bonuses, gaming taxes, and certain operating fees.core
No Deposit BonusA bonus an operator credits to a player's account without requiring them to deposit any of their own money first.beginner
Nominated OfficerThe person designated to receive internal reports of suspicion from staff and to decide whether to disclose them to the authorities.core
Novelty / Special BettingBets on non-sporting or unusual outcomes such as awards, politics, TV and weather, offered at bookmaker odds with a margin and often lower limits.beginner
Nudge and HoldA classic-slot feature that lets a reel shift by one position (nudge) or lets the player keep chosen reels for the next spin (hold).core
Number-Draw RNGThe certified random number generator that produces the outcomes for online draw-based games, replacing physical ball machines.advanced
O10
OddsOdds tell you how likely an outcome is and how much a winning bet pays back relative to your stake.core
Odds Formats (decimal/fractional/american)The three main ways to express the same price, decimal, fractional and American, each convertible to the others and to an implied probability.beginner
On-Chain BettingPlacing and settling bets directly through smart contracts on a blockchain rather than on a company's private servers.core
On-Ramp / Off-RampServices that convert traditional money into cryptocurrency (on-ramp) or crypto back into traditional money (off-ramp).beginner
Ongoing MonitoringThe continuous scrutiny of a customer relationship to keep due-diligence information current and detect activity that does not fit the customer's expected profile.core
Open BankingA way to pay directly from your bank account through secure banking APIs, instead of using a card.core
OperatorThe company that runs a gambling site or app — it holds your account, accepts your bets, and pays out any winnings.beginner
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) in Live CasinoCamera-based technology that automatically reads physical cards, wheel results, and table events and converts them into digital data the platform can settle bets on.core
Over/UnderA bet on whether a chosen total — such as the combined goals, points, or runs in a match — will finish above ("over") or below ("under") a number the bookmaker sets.core
OverroundThe bookmaker's built-in margin, visible when the odds across all outcomes of a market imply probabilities that add up to more than 100%.advanced
P49
Pai Gow PokerA poker-based table game where players split seven cards into a five-card 'high' hand and a two-card 'low' hand, both of which must beat the dealer's corresponding hands to win.advanced
PAR SheetA PAR sheet is the confidential design document that sets out all the maths behind a slot game — its reel strips, symbol weightings, paytable and the payout percentages these produce.core
Pari-Mutuel (Pooled) BettingA betting system where all stakes go into a shared pool, the operator removes a takeout, and the remainder is divided among winners, so odds are set by the pool rather than fixed in advance.core
ParlayA parlay is a single bet that links two or more selections together, where every selection must win for the bet to pay anything.core
PASPAA 1992 US federal law that effectively banned state-authorised sports betting nationwide, struck down by the Supreme Court in 2018 — opening the door to state-by-state legal sports betting.advanced
Pass Line BetThe fundamental craps wager that a shooter will win their sequence, carrying one of the lowest house edges on the table at about 1.41%.core
Pay N Play (Trustly)An onboarding model, popularised by the provider Trustly, that lets a customer deposit via bank login and start playing without a separate registration step.advanced
Payback PeriodThe time it takes for the value a player returns to repay the cost of acquiring them.core
PayID / OskoAustralian real-time payment services built on the New Payments Platform, where PayID is an easy-to-remember address and Osko is the fast clearing overlay.core
PaylineA payline is a defined path across a slot's reels along which matching symbols must land to form a winning combination.beginner
Payment CascadingAutomatically re-attempting a declined payment through a different acquirer or provider to try to get it approved.advanced
Payment GatewayA payment gateway is the technology layer that securely captures a player's payment details at the cashier and passes them to the banks and card networks that authorise a deposit or withdrawal.core
Payment OrchestrationPayment orchestration is a software layer that automatically routes each deposit or withdrawal to the best of several payment providers so more transactions get approved.advanced
Payment RailThe underlying infrastructure or network over which a payment travels, such as card schemes, bank transfer systems, or instant-payment networks.beginner
Payment Service Provider (PSP)A payment service provider (PSP) is an intermediary company that connects a gambling operator to card networks, banks, and e-wallets so players can deposit and withdraw money through a single integration.core
Payout LimitA cap on how much a customer can withdraw within a set period or per transaction.beginner
PaytableA paytable is the in-game chart that shows how much each symbol combination pays and how the game's features work.beginner
Pending WithdrawalA requested payout that is held in a reviewable, often cancellable state before it is released to the payment rail.core
Perfect PairsA blackjack side bet that your first two cards form a pair, paying more for pairs that also match in colour or suit.core
Personal Management Licence (PML)A personal licence, notably in Great Britain, required for individuals performing specified management functions at a gambling operator.advanced
Pick BonusA bonus round where the player selects from hidden objects to reveal prizes, though the outcomes are predetermined at random.beginner
Pick'em (DFS)A DFS-style product where players pick whether several athletes will go over or under set statistical lines, with a fixed payout for getting all picks right.advanced
PIXBrazil's central-bank instant payment system that settles account-to-account transfers 24/7 in seconds using a simple key or QR code.core
Player Account ManagementThe central software system that holds each player's account, wallet balance, bonuses and personal records, tying the games, payments and compliance tools together.core
Player Segmentation (RFM)A method that scores players on how recently, how often, and how much they play to group them for tailored treatment.core
Player Wallet ReconciliationThe process of checking that the wallet's recorded balances and transactions match across all systems and with providers, so no money is lost, duplicated or unaccounted for.advanced
PleaserThe inverse of a teaser: you move each line against yourself to make it harder, in exchange for a much larger payout if every leg wins.advanced
Point of ConsumptionThe regulatory principle that an operator must be licensed by — and pay tax to — the jurisdiction where the customer is located, regardless of where the operator itself is based.core
Point of Consumption TaxA tax levied on gambling based on where the customer is located rather than where the operator is based.advanced
Point SpreadA margin of points the sportsbook assigns to the favourite, who must win by more than that number for a bet on them to pay out.core
Poker RakeThe rake is the small cut a poker operator takes from each pot, or from tournament entry fees, as its charge for hosting the game.core
Poker SolverSoftware that computes near-optimal (game-theory-based) strategies for specific poker situations to guide study.advanced
Poker TournamentA poker tournament is a structured event where every entrant pays the same buy-in for an equal stack of chips and plays until one person holds them all, with cash prizes paid to the top finishers.beginner
Politically Exposed PersonA person who holds, or has held, a prominent public position, making them a higher money-laundering and bribery risk that operators must scrutinise more closely.advanced
PostbackA postback is a behind-the-scenes message sent from the operator's servers to an affiliate tracking system to report that a tracked action — such as a registration or first deposit — has happened.advanced
Pot OddsThe ratio of the current pot size to the cost of a call, used to decide whether a call can be profitable.core
Prediction MarketA marketplace where participants trade contracts that pay out based on the outcome of a future event, with prices interpreted as implied probabilities.advanced
Predictive ChurnUsing historical behaviour and statistical or machine-learning models to estimate which players are likely to stop playing soon.advanced
Prepaid Voucher (Paysafecard)A prepaid code bought with cash or card that can be redeemed to deposit without linking a bank account, but generally cannot receive withdrawals.core
Presenter/Dealer RotationThe scheduled practice of swapping the on-camera dealer at regular intervals to maintain concentration, professionalism, and game integrity.core
Problem GamblingA pattern of gambling that a person finds hard to control and that causes harm to themselves or others.core
Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI)A short nine-item questionnaire that screens for the risk of gambling-related problems — a screening tool, not a diagnosis.core
Progressive Bingo JackpotA growing bingo prize, funded by a slice of ticket sales, typically won only by hitting a full house within a capped number of calls.core
Progressive JackpotA shared prize that grows a little with every bet placed on a game (or network of games) until one player wins it, at which point it resets to a starting amount.core
Progressive Side BetAn optional table-game side bet linked to a growing jackpot that increases as players contribute, typically paying its top prize for a rare premium hand.advanced
Prop BetA wager on a specific occurrence within an event that is not tied to the final result or main spread, such as a player's stats or the number of corners.beginner
Provably FairA cryptographic scheme that lets a player verify a game round's random outcome was committed before betting and not altered afterwards.core
PSD2The European Union directive governing electronic payments that introduced open banking access and mandatory strong customer authentication.advanced
Punto BancoThe most common, purely luck-based form of baccarat, in which the player bets on Player (Punto), Banker (Banco) or Tie and all card-drawing follows fixed rules with no decisions.core
R25
RakebackA partial refund of the rake a player has paid, returned by the operator as a loyalty incentive.core
ReactivationMarketing and CRM activity aimed at bringing lapsed or dormant players back to depositing and playing.core
Real-Time Odds FeedA continuous data stream of sports events and their prices that keeps a sportsbook's odds current, especially for fast-changing in-play markets.core
Reality CheckA pop-up that interrupts play at set intervals to remind you how long you've been playing and, in most markets, how much you've won or lost.core
Rebuy and Add-onOptional extra buy-ins that let tournament players purchase more chips during a defined early period or at a set break.core
ReelA reel is one of the vertical columns of symbols in a slot game that appears to spin and then stops to reveal a fresh set of symbols.beginner
Reel StripThe ordered list of symbols that makes up a single reel and defines how often each symbol can appear.advanced
Reinvestment RateThe share of a player's or segment's value that an operator gives back as bonuses, comps, and rewards to sustain play.advanced
Remote GamblingGambling you take part in remotely — over the internet, by phone, or through other electronic means — rather than in person at a physical venue.core
Remote Gaming Server (RGS)The server that runs a casino game's logic and outcomes remotely, so the player's device only renders the graphics while the real bet, result and payout are decided and recorded server-side.core
RespinAn additional spin of one or more reels, usually granted for free, while other symbols are held in place.beginner
Responsible GamblingA set of practices, tools, and policies that help people keep gambling as affordable entertainment and reduce the risk of gambling-related harm.core
Retention RateRetention rate is the share of players who keep coming back to an operator after a starting point such as signing up or making a first deposit, measured over a set period.core
RetriggerActivating a bonus feature again from inside that same feature, typically to add more free spins.beginner
Return-to-Player BandA Return-to-Player band is one of several pre-certified RTP versions of the same game that an operator can select, so the identical title can theoretically pay back, say, 96% in one market and 92% in another.advanced
Revenue ShareA commission model in which an affiliate is paid an ongoing percentage of the net revenue generated by the players they refer to an operator.core
Reverse WithdrawalCancelling a cash-out request while it is still pending, which sends the money back into your account balance so it can be gambled again instead of being paid out.core
Risk-Based ApproachThe principle that AML and compliance resources should be directed in proportion to the money-laundering and harm risks that customers, products and channels actually present.core
RNG (Random Number Generator)The software (or hardware) that decides the unpredictable outcome of a digital gambling game — which cards, reel stops, or numbers come up — so every result is down to pure chance.core
RNG CertificationThe independent testing and approval of a game's random number generator to confirm outcomes are statistically random, unpredictable and match the stated return to player.core
RNG-based RacingRacing products whose finishing order is generated by a random number generator rather than by live or historical real races.advanced
RouletteA casino wheel game where players bet on which numbered pocket a spinning ball will land in.beginner
Round RobinA wager that automatically generates every smaller parlay combination from a list of selections, so some picks can lose and you still get a return.advanced
Round-Based BettingThe structure of live games into discrete rounds with a timed window to place bets, after which betting closes and the result is revealed.beginner
RTP (Return to Player)RTP is the percentage of all money wagered on a game that it is designed to pay back to players over the long run.beginner
S49
Safer Gambling ToolsAccount features — such as deposit limits, time-outs, reality checks and self-exclusion — that let players set and enforce boundaries on the time and money they spend gambling.core
Safer-Gambling MessageStandardised on-screen or broadcast wording that promotes safer play and points people toward help and tools.beginner
Salon Privé / VIP TablesExclusive high-limit live tables reserved for high-value players, often bookable privately with a dedicated dealer and higher betting limits.core
Same-Game ParlayA single bet combining multiple related selections from one match, priced with a correlation adjustment rather than as independent legs.core
Sanctions ScreeningChecking customers and payments against government and international sanctions lists to prevent dealing with prohibited people, entities or jurisdictions.core
Sandbox / Staging EnvironmentA safe, non-live copy of a system used to build and test integrations with fake money and data before anything goes into production.beginner
Scatter PaysA win rule where a set number of matching symbols anywhere on the grid pays, regardless of position or paylines.core
Scatter SymbolA special slot symbol that pays out or triggers a bonus feature based on how many appear anywhere on the reels, without needing to line up on a payline.core
ScratchcardA pre-determined instant lottery product where players reveal a hidden result by scratching or clicking a covered panel, with prizes fixed in advance across a finite ticket pool.beginner
Seamless WalletAn integration pattern where the operator's wallet stays the single source of truth and each game calls that wallet in real time to debit a bet and credit a win, with no money moved into the game provider.core
Search Engine Optimisation (iGaming SEO)Optimising websites and content to rank in unpaid search results for gambling-related queries, a fiercely competitive acquisition channel.core
Seed PhraseA human-readable list of usually 12 or 24 words that backs up and can fully restore a crypto wallet's private keys.core
Self-ExclusionA tool that lets a player choose to block their own access to gambling for a set period, during which the operator must refuse their play.core
Self-Exclusion RegisterA scheme that lets people bar themselves from gambling and requires operators to prevent registered individuals from accessing their services.core
Sensitivity to LossThe well-documented tendency for losses to feel more painful than equivalent gains feel pleasurable.advanced
Session ManagementHow a platform tracks a player's authenticated session from login to logout, controlling access, timeouts and the responsible-gambling limits that apply during play.core
Session ReminderAn on-screen prompt that periodically tells a player how long they have been playing and often how much they have spent.beginner
Settlement (payments)The stage where authorised payments are actually cleared and the money is transferred to the merchant, distinct from the earlier authorisation.core
Sharp vs SquareIndustry shorthand for sophisticated, winning bettors (sharps) versus casual recreational bettors (squares), whose patterns bookmakers read differently.core
Sic BoAn ancient three-dice game of Chinese origin where players bet on combinations of the shaken dice, with house edges ranging from modest to very high depending on the bet.core
Side Bet CityA live poker-themed game show in which players wager on the poker value of dealt hands through a series of optional side bets, with no player decisions.core
SignpostingDirecting a person toward relevant help, tools, or support services at the moment they might need them.beginner
Simplified Due Diligence (SDD)A reduced level of customer checks permitted where the money-laundering risk is assessed and evidenced as low.core
Single Customer ViewA capability that combines data across operators so that risks and harm which are invisible within any single account can be seen across a customer's activity industry-wide.advanced
Single WalletA single, shared player balance that works across every product and provider on a site, so casino, live casino and sportsbook all draw from and pay into the same funds.beginner
Sit & GoA small on-demand tournament that starts as soon as a set number of players registers, rather than at a scheduled time.beginner
Skin BettingWagering with in-game cosmetic items ('skins') as virtual currency on gambling sites, a largely unregulated and legally contested activity.advanced
SlotA slot is a reel-based casino game where the player spins a set of reels and is paid when matching symbols land in winning positions defined by the game's rules.beginner
Smart ContractSelf-executing code stored on a blockchain that automatically enforces agreed rules when predefined conditions are met.core
Soft vs Hard HandA blackjack distinction based on the ace: a 'soft' hand counts an ace as 11 and cannot bust on the next card, while a 'hard' hand has no such flexible ace.core
Source of FundsSource of Funds is the evidence a licensed operator requires to confirm where the specific money a player is depositing and gambling with actually came from.core
Source of Wealth (payments context)Evidence of how a customer accumulated their overall wealth, used in AML checks to judge whether their spending is plausible and legitimate.advanced
Speed BaccaratA faster live baccarat variant that compresses each round into a short window, dealing far more hands per hour than standard baccarat.core
Spin & GoA fast three-player Sit & Go whose total prize pool is set by a randomly drawn multiplier just before play begins.core
Splitting PairsA blackjack option to separate a starting pair of equal cards into two independent hands, each receiving a new second card and its own matching bet.core
SportsbookA sportsbook is a business, or the product it runs, that accepts and settles bets on the outcomes of sporting events.beginner
Sportsbook Trading PlatformThe system that prices sports markets, accepts and settles bets, and manages the operator's risk and liability across events.advanced
Spread Betting (financial-style)A form of betting where you buy or sell a quoted market and your profit or loss scales with how far the result finishes from the spread, potentially exceeding your original stake.advanced
Stablecoin (USDT/USDC)A cryptocurrency designed to hold a steady value, usually pegged 1:1 to a fiat currency like the US dollar, to avoid crypto price swings.core
Stacked SymbolsIdentical symbols grouped in a vertical block on a reel so they can fill several positions of that reel at once.core
Steam MoveA sudden, sharp and widespread movement of a betting line across many bookmakers, usually driven by a wave of professional or syndicate money.advanced
StickinessThe ratio of daily to monthly active users (DAU/MAU), expressed as how many days in the month a typical monthly player engages.core
Sticky WildA wild symbol that stays locked in its position for one or more following spins instead of disappearing after a single spin.core
Streamer MarketingPromotion through people who broadcast live gambling sessions on platforms like Twitch, Kick, or YouTube, usually under affiliate or sponsorship deals.core
Strong Customer Authentication (SCA)A PSD2 requirement that many electronic payments be verified using at least two independent factors from knowledge, possession, and inherence.advanced
Studio LatencyThe delay between an event happening in the live studio and the player seeing it on screen, and how that delay is managed so betting stays fair.advanced
Sub-AffiliateAn affiliate who recruits other affiliates and earns a share of their referred revenue, forming a second commission tier.advanced
Suspicious Activity ReportA confidential report an operator files to the authorities when it suspects a customer's money or behaviour may be linked to money laundering or other crime.advanced
Sweepstakes-Crypto ModelA gaming model using dual virtual currencies and a 'no purchase necessary' sweepstakes structure to offer prizes without being classed as traditional gambling.advanced
T22
Table GamesCasino games such as blackjack, roulette and baccarat that are traditionally played at a physical table, typically against the house.beginner
Table LimitsThe minimum and maximum amounts a table accepts on a bet, which frame how much can be staked per wager and constrain betting systems.beginner
Table PositionWhere you sit relative to the dealer button, which determines how early or late you act in each betting round.core
TakeoutThe fixed percentage a pari-mutuel or lottery operator removes from the betting pool before paying winners, the pooled equivalent of house edge.core
TeaserA US-sports multi-leg bet that lets you move each point spread or total in your favour for a reduced combined payout, with every leg required to win.advanced
Test CertificateThe formal document an accredited test house issues to evidence that a game or gambling system has passed required testing.core
Theoretical WinTheoretical win is the revenue a game is statistically expected to generate — the total amount wagered multiplied by the game's built-in house edge — as opposed to the amount it actually ends up keeping.core
Theoretical Win IndexThe theoretical win index compares a game's expected (theoretical) win to the average theoretical win of a chosen set of games, scaled so that average equals 1.0x — so a game scoring 2.0x is expected to earn twice as much as the typical title.advanced
Three Card PokerA fast poker-based table game played with three cards, combining an optional 'Pair Plus' bet on your own hand strength with an 'Ante and Play' bet against the dealer.core
TiltA state of emotional frustration that leads a player to make worse decisions than they normally would.beginner
Time LimitA player-set cap on how long they can play in a single session or over a day, week, or month.beginner
Time-OutA short, temporary break from an account — typically from 24 hours up to a few weeks — that a player can activate instantly.beginner
Tipping-OffThe offence of alerting a person that they are, or may be, the subject of a suspicious activity report or money-laundering investigation.core
TipsterA person or service that sells or promotes betting predictions, often working as an affiliate who earns commission on the bettors they refer.core
Tokenization (payments)Replacing sensitive card data with a non-sensitive substitute token so the real card number is never stored or reused by the merchant.advanced
TokenomicsThe design of a crypto token's supply, distribution and incentives, which shapes its potential value and risks.core
Total (Over/Under line)A market on the combined total of a countable quantity, such as goals, points or corners, where you bet whether the actual figure lands over or under the bookmaker's number.beginner
Trading (Sportsbook)The ongoing work of setting and adjusting a sportsbook's odds so that, whatever the result, the operator keeps its risk under control.advanced
Transaction MonitoringThe systematic review of deposits, withdrawals and play patterns to detect transactions that may indicate money laundering, fraud or harm.core
Transfer WalletAn older integration pattern where a game provider keeps its own separate balance, so the player must transfer funds from the operator wallet into the provider before playing and back out afterwards.core
Travel Rule (Crypto/VASP)An anti-money-laundering requirement that crypto service providers share sender and recipient information for transfers above a set threshold.advanced
Turnkey SolutionA ready-made, largely pre-integrated iGaming platform an operator can license to launch quickly, rather than building wallet, games, payments and compliance tools from scratch.core
U5
UIGEAA 2006 US federal law that prohibits gambling businesses from knowingly accepting payments connected to unlawful online bets — targeting the money flow rather than the individual bettor.advanced
UK Gambling CommissionThe government body that licenses and polices gambling businesses in Great Britain, setting the rules operators must follow to stay legal.core
Ultimate Texas Hold'emA house-banked poker variant where the player and dealer each build the best five-card hand from two hole cards and five community cards, with the player able to bet earlier for a larger raise.advanced
Uplift ModellingA modelling technique that predicts the incremental effect of a marketing action, so effort targets players whose behaviour it will actually change.advanced
Uptime & SLAA measure of how much of the time a service is available, and the contractual promise, a service level agreement, that sets the target and consequences for missing it.beginner
V12
Value BetA bet whose true probability of winning is higher than the probability implied by the odds, giving it positive expected value.core
Value Bet (Poker)A bet made with a strong hand aiming to get called by weaker hands and win more chips.core
Video PokerVideo poker is an electronic machine game in which you are dealt a five-card poker hand, choose which cards to keep, draw replacements, and are paid from a fixed table according to the final hand's poker ranking.core
VigThe vig is the commission a sportsbook builds into its odds so that the prices for a market add up to more than 100%, giving the book its margin.advanced
VIP ManagementThe dedicated servicing of an operator's highest-value players through personal account managers, tailored bonuses, and perks.core
Virtual Football / RacingThe most common virtual-sports products, simulated football leagues and simulated horse or greyhound races, resolved by RNG with a fixed margin.beginner
Virtual SportsComputer-generated, RNG-driven simulations of sporting events that players bet on like real fixtures, with a bookmaker margin built into the odds.core
Void / PushA bet that is cancelled with the stake refunded: 'void' for a nullified bet, 'push' when a result lands exactly on the line.beginner
Volatility (Crypto Price)The tendency of cryptocurrency prices to change rapidly and unpredictably, adding currency risk on top of gambling risk.beginner
Volatility (Variance)Volatility describes how bumpy a game's ride is — whether it tends to pay small amounts often or large amounts rarely.core
Voluntary vs Mandatory LimitsThe distinction between safer-gambling limits a player chooses to set and those imposed by an operator or regulator.advanced
VulnerabilityCircumstances or characteristics that make a person more susceptible to gambling harm or less able to protect themselves.core
W12
Wager LimitA cap on the total amount a player can stake (turnover) over a chosen period, regardless of wins or losses.core
Wagering RequirementThe total amount you must bet before bonus money (and any winnings from it) can be withdrawn as cash.core
Walking WildA wild that shifts one reel across the grid on each successive spin, often granting a respin until it leaves the screen.advanced
Ways-to-WinA slot payout model that rewards matching symbols on adjacent reels from left to right, regardless of which row they land on, instead of paying only along fixed lines.core
Webhook / CallbackA mechanism where one system automatically sends a message to another when an event happens, instead of the second system repeatedly asking, used widely for payments and integrations.core
Weighted ReelsA design where symbols or reel stops are given unequal probabilities, so some appear far more often than an even layout would suggest.advanced
Welcome JourneyThe structured sequence of messages and steps a new player receives in their first days to guide activation and early engagement.beginner
Wheel BonusA bonus round where the player spins a segmented wheel and is awarded whatever prize the pointer lands on.beginner
White-Label LicenceA business model where a company runs its own branded casino using another company's gambling licence, platform, and back-office infrastructure.core
Wild SymbolA special slot symbol that stands in for other symbols to help complete a winning combination.beginner
Wire ActA 1961 US federal law barring the use of wire communications to transmit interstate sports bets; a 2011 opinion limited it to sports betting, enabling intrastate online casino and poker.advanced
Withdrawal Processing TimeThe total time from a withdrawal request to funds reaching the customer, combining operator review and payment-rail transfer time.beginner