Glossary: casino terms in plain English

The gambling industry has a vocabulary that rewards knowing it — mostly because the important words tend to live in the small print. Here are the ones worth understanding before you deposit anywhere, defined the way we'd explain them across a kitchen table.

Accounts & identity

Account verification (KYC)

The identity checks — “know your customer” — that licensed operators must run before you can gamble. Expect to prove your age and identity, and be asked about the source of your funds if your spending warrants it. A casino asking for documents isn't being awkward; an unlicensed one that never asks is the red flag.

Deposit limit

A cap you set on how much you can pay in per day, week or month. Every GB-licensed operator must offer one. The best time to set it is before your first deposit, when the number is a budget rather than a negotiation with yourself.

Withdrawal (cash-out)

Moving winnings from your casino balance back to your own payment method. Operators may run verification checks before paying out — another reason to complete KYC early rather than at the moment you want your money.

Games & odds

House edge

The built-in mathematical advantage the casino holds in every game. It's how the business works, and it's why gambling is entertainment with a price, not a way to earn. No pattern of play removes it.

RTP (return to player)

The long-run percentage of stakes a game is designed to pay back — 96% RTP means that across millions of spins, the game returns £96 of every £100 staked. It says nothing about your session, which can land anywhere. RTP is the house edge written the other way up.

RNG (random number generator)

The software that decides game outcomes. In licensed casinos, RNGs must be tested by independent test houses approved by the Gambling Commission — this is what “fair” means in a regulatory sense: random, not generous.

Live casino

Table games — blackjack, roulette, baccarat and their variants — run by a human dealer on video, with bets placed through your screen. The pace is slower than software games, which some players consider a feature.

Slots volatility

How a slot distributes its payouts: low volatility means frequent small wins, high volatility means rare larger ones. Neither changes the RTP; it changes the shape of the ride.

Promotions

Wagering requirement

The multiplier that decides whether a bonus is worth anything. A “£10 bonus, 40x wagering” requires £400 of bets before bonus winnings can be withdrawn. This is the single most important number in any casino promotion, and it lives in the terms, not the headline.

Free spins

Spins on a slot at no direct cost — but winnings from them usually arrive as bonus funds with their own wagering requirements, expiry dates and win caps. “Free” describes the spin, not necessarily the winnings.

Game weighting

How much different games count towards wagering requirements. Slots often contribute 100%; table games far less or nothing. It's the clause that catches out blackjack players trying to clear a slots-shaped bonus.

Max win / win cap

A ceiling on what a bonus can pay out regardless of how the play goes. If a promotion has one, it materially changes what the offer is worth.

Safety & regulation

Gambling Commission

The statutory regulator for gambling in Great Britain. It licenses operators, sets the rules they trade under and maintains a public register anyone can search — the primary source this site uses for every licensing claim.

Licensee / account number

The legal company behind a casino brand, and its number in the register. Brands and licensees often differ — Sky Vegas is operated by Bonne Terre Gaming Limited, for example — which is why checking the register beats trusting a logo.

Self-exclusion

A formal block on your own gambling, either with a single operator or — through GAMSTOP — across every online operator licensed in Great Britain at once. Free, and every GB-licensed site must participate.

Time-out

Self-exclusion's shorter cousin: a break of days or weeks from one operator. Useful as a circuit-breaker well before anything feels like a problem.

ADR (alternative dispute resolution)

The independent body a licensed operator must offer you if a complaint about your account isn't resolved between you. The operator's complaints page must name its ADR provider.

Terms you'd like added — or definitions you'd dispute — are welcome at desk@reelquarter.com.