Casino glossary: 72 online gambling terms in plain English

From RTP to wagering, each term explained in a few lines so you can read bonus rules before you play.

A

AGCO

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. It regulates gambling in the province and sets the standards that registered online operators must follow, including rules on advertising, game integrity and responsible gambling tools.

American odds

Betting odds shown with a plus or minus sign. A positive figure such as +150 is the profit on a 100 dollar stake. A negative figure such as -200 is the stake needed to win 100 dollars. Common in North American sportsbooks.

Autoplay

A setting that repeats spins or bets automatically for a chosen number of rounds. It speeds up play and makes spending harder to notice, so use it only with loss and time limits active and check the stop conditions.

B

Banker bet

A bet in baccarat that the Banker hand will win. It has the lowest house edge among the main bets, about 1.06 per cent, but most casinos charge a commission, usually 5 per cent, on winning Banker bets.

Bankroll

The total amount of money you have set aside for gambling. A bankroll should be money you can afford to lose, kept separate from bills and savings. Splitting it into sessions helps you control how much you risk at once.

Basic strategy

A chart of the best blackjack decision for every combination of your hand and the dealer's upcard. It is based on probability and lowers the house edge to its minimum for the rules in play, without guaranteeing a win.

Bet limit

The minimum and maximum amount you may bet in one round of a game. Live tables show limits in the lobby. During a bonus, a separate maximum bet usually applies, and breaking it can cancel the bonus.

Bonus abuse

Using a promotion in a way the terms forbid, such as opening several accounts, betting above the maximum or using risk-free strategies. Casinos can cancel the bonus and the winnings, so read the rules before you claim any offer.

Bonus buy

A slot feature that lets you pay a multiple of your bet to enter the bonus round directly. It makes sessions faster and more volatile, and some operators or regulators restrict it. Check availability before you plan a budget.

C

Cash-out

In crash games and some bets, the action of locking in your winnings before the round ends. In general use, it also means withdrawing money from your casino account to your bank or wallet.

Cashback

A promotion that returns a percentage of your net losses over a period, as cash or bonus credit. Read whether the cashback has wagering, a cap or a minimum loss, since these terms decide its real value.

Cashier

The section of a casino site where you deposit, withdraw and see your transaction history. Fees, limits, processing times and available payment methods are listed there, so review it before you register.

Chargeback

A reversal of a card payment requested through your bank. It can be an option if a casino fails to deliver a service, but it can also lead to account closure if used improperly. Contact support first and keep records.

Cooling-off period

A delay applied when you try to raise a limit or return after a time-out. It stops impulsive changes made in a heated moment. Many licensed operators apply a wait of one or more days before an increase takes effect.

CRA

The Canada Revenue Agency, the federal tax authority. It treats most recreational gambling winnings as non-taxable windfalls, while business-like gambling and gains on cryptocurrency may be taxable. Its website is the official source for guidance.

Crash game

A fast game in which a multiplier rises from 1.00x until it crashes at a random point. You win your stake times the multiplier if you cash out first, and lose it if the game crashes before you do.

D

Dealer

The person who runs a live table, deals the cards or spins the wheel and communicates with players by chat. In RNG games there is no dealer, because software performs these functions.

Decimal odds

Odds shown as the total return for each unit staked, including the stake. Odds of 2.50 return 2.50 dollars for every dollar bet. They are the simplest format for calculating a payout and comparing prices.

Demo mode

A version of a game played with play credits instead of real money. It lets you learn rules and features, but credits have no cash value and results do not predict real-money outcomes.

Deposit limit

A cap on how much you can deposit in a day, week or month. Setting one before you play is among the most effective responsible gambling tools. Lowering it is usually immediate, while raising it is delayed.

Double down

A blackjack move where you double your bet after seeing your first two cards and receive exactly one more card. It is used on strong totals such as 10 or 11 against a weak dealer card.

E

E-wallet

An online account that holds money and pays merchants, such as PayPal or Skrill. At casinos, e-wallets usually process withdrawals faster than cards, but eligibility for bonuses and fees varies, so read the terms.

Espacejeux

The online gambling platform run by Loto-Québec, the Quebec provincial lottery corporation. It is the licensed provincial offer for Quebec residents, who must be at least 18 to play. French-language service is standard there.

F

FINTRAC

The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, which supervises anti-money-laundering rules. Crypto exchanges and other money services businesses register with it, and casinos report suspicious activity under related obligations.

Fractional odds

Odds shown as a fraction, such as 3/2, where the first number is the profit and the second is the stake. A 3/2 bet returns 3 dollars in profit for every 2 staked. Common in horse racing.

Free spins

Spins on a slot awarded as a promotion or as a bonus round. Winnings from free spins often carry wagering requirements and a cap on cashout, so check the terms and which game the spins apply to.

G

Game contribution

The percentage of each bet that counts towards a bonus wagering requirement. Slots often count 100 per cent, while table and live games may count 10 per cent or nothing. It determines how fast you can clear a bonus.

Game show

A live casino format that combines a wheel, a draw or a bonus round with a host and multipliers. Game shows are usually high volatility and have house edges that vary by segment, so read the rules and keep stakes small.

H

Hit and stand

Basic blackjack choices. To hit is to take another card, and to stand is to keep your hand as it is. The right choice depends on your total and the dealer's visible card, as set out in basic strategy.

House edge

The mathematical advantage of the casino, expressed as a percentage of each bet that it keeps on average over time. A 2.70 per cent edge means CAD 2.70 of every CAD 100 wagered, in the long run.

I

iDebit

A Canadian payment service that lets you move money directly from your bank account to a merchant without sharing card details. It is used for deposits and, at some casinos, withdrawals. Fees and limits vary by operator.

iGaming Ontario

The agency of the Ontario government that conducts and manages the regulated online gambling market. It signs agreements with private operators, publishes the list of registered operators and runs the centralized self-exclusion program.

Implied probability

The chance of an outcome suggested by betting odds, found by dividing 100 by the decimal odds. It includes the bookmaker's margin, so the sum across all outcomes usually exceeds 100 per cent.

Instadebit

A Canadian online payment service linked to your bank account. It is widely accepted at casinos that serve Canadians for deposits and withdrawals, and it avoids sharing card numbers with the merchant. Check limits and fees.

Interac e-Transfer

A Canadian service for sending money between bank accounts by email or text message. Many casinos accept it for deposits and some for withdrawals. Confirm the limits, fees and processing time in the cashier.

K

Kahnawake Gaming Commission

The gaming regulator of the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory in Quebec. It licenses a number of online gambling operators that accept Canadian players. It is not a provincial regulator, so check the operator's licence and terms.

KYC

Know your customer. The identity checks casinos run to confirm your age, identity and address, and to meet anti-money-laundering rules. Expect to provide photo ID and proof of address, often before your first withdrawal.

L

La Partage

A French roulette rule that returns half of an even-money bet when the ball lands on zero. It reduces the house edge on those bets to about 1.35 per cent, so look for it in the table rules.

Live dealer

A casino format in which real dealers run games from a studio, streamed to your device in real time. You bet using on-screen chips. Typical games are blackjack, roulette, baccarat and game shows.

Loss limit

A limit on how much you can lose in a set period before the casino blocks further play. It is useful for stopping a losing streak from running on, and is best set before you start a session.

M

Martingale

A betting system in which you double your stake after each loss. It cannot change the house edge and risks hitting table limits or your bankroll after a few losses. Treat it as a risk, not a strategy.

Maximum bet

The largest bet allowed while a bonus is active. Going above it can void the bonus and any winnings. The figure is stated in the bonus terms and may differ from the table limit shown in the game.

Maximum cashout

A cap on the amount you can withdraw from bonus winnings, often seen on no deposit offers and free spins. Anything above the cap is removed, so check it before you decide whether an offer is worth claiming.

Megaways

A slot mechanic in which the number of symbols on each reel changes with every spin, creating thousands of ways to win. These slots are usually high volatility, so the balance can swing quickly.

MGA

The Malta Gaming Authority, a European regulator that licenses many international online casinos. An MGA licence indicates oversight in Malta, not in a Canadian province, so complaint routes and protections differ.

Minimum deposit

The smallest amount a casino lets you deposit, or the minimum needed to qualify for a bonus. These figures can differ, so check both in the cashier and in the promotion terms.

N

No deposit bonus

A promotion given without a payment, such as credit or free spins on registration. It usually has high wagering, a low maximum cashout and identity checks, so the real value is limited.

O

Overround

The bookmaker's margin built into odds. When you convert odds to implied probabilities and add them up, the total above 100 per cent is the overround. Lower overround generally means better value for the bettor.

P

Payout

The amount a game or bet returns, or the money you receive when you withdraw. In slot and table games, the paytable lists the payouts for each result. Withdrawal payout times depend on the payment method.

Paysafecard

A prepaid voucher bought with cash or online and used with a PIN. It allows deposits without sharing bank details, but it generally cannot be used for withdrawals, so you need a second method to cash out.

Paytable

The screen or chart that lists symbols, combinations and the prizes they pay. For slots it also shows bonus rules. Read it before you play to understand how wins are calculated.

Pending period

The time between your withdrawal request and the moment the casino approves it. During this period you may be able to cancel the request. The delay is stated in the terms and is separate from the payment method's processing time.

PIPEDA

The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, the federal privacy law for private-sector organizations in Canada. Some provinces, including Quebec with Law 25, have their own rules about how companies handle your personal data.

PlayNow

The online gambling site run by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, which also serves Manitoba. It is the provincial licensed option in those provinces for casino games and sports betting.

Progressive jackpot

A jackpot that grows with every bet placed on a game or network until someone wins it, then resets. Progressive prizes can be very large, but the odds of winning are extremely small.

Provably fair

A system used by some crypto games in which a cryptographic hash is published before the round and the seed revealed after. It lets you verify the result was not changed, but it does not remove the house edge.

Push

A tie in blackjack between your hand and the dealer's. Your stake is returned and nobody wins. It can occur when both have the same total, for example 19 against 19.

R

Reload bonus

A promotion offered on later deposits, not just the first. It is often a percentage match with its own wagering requirement and expiry date. Compare the terms with the welcome offer.

RNG

Random number generator. The software that produces unpredictable results in slots, RNG table games and crash. Licensed operators use RNGs certified by independent testing labs, which check that outcomes are random and match published odds.

RTP

Return to player. The share of total bets a game is designed to pay back over the long run, such as 96 per cent. It is an average over millions of rounds, not a promise for your session.

S

Scatter

A slot symbol that triggers a feature, usually free spins, when a certain number appear anywhere on the reels. It does not need to line up on a payline, and it often pays a prize of its own.

Self-exclusion

A voluntary ban from a gambling site or group of sites for a chosen period. It is a tool for people who want a firm barrier. In Ontario, a centralized program covers regulated sites.

Session limit

A cap on how long a single gambling session may last, or how long you may play in a day. Reaching it ends the session or logs you out, which helps prevent long unplanned play.

Soft hand

A blackjack hand that contains an ace counted as 11. It cannot bust with one more card, which lets you play more aggressively. If the ace would push you above 21, it counts as 1 and the hand becomes hard.

Stablecoin

A cryptocurrency designed to track the value of a currency, usually the US dollar. Stablecoins such as USDT and USDC reduce price swings when you deposit or withdraw at a crypto casino, though network fees and issuer risk remain.

Sticky bonus

A bonus that cannot be withdrawn: it is removed from your balance when you cash out, and only the winnings remain. It differs from a cashable bonus. The terms state which type applies.

T

Time-out

A short break from gambling that blocks your account for a set period, from a day to several weeks. Unlike self-exclusion, it is brief, and you can return when it ends.

V

Volatility

A measure of how widely a game's results are spread. Low volatility pays often in small amounts. High volatility pays rarely but in larger amounts. It affects how quickly your balance moves, not the house edge.

W

Wager

To place a bet, or the amount bet. In bonus terms, wagering refers to the total amount you must bet, over many rounds, before you may withdraw any bonus winnings.

Wagering requirement

The number of times you must bet a bonus, and sometimes the deposit, before withdrawing. A 35x requirement on a CAD 100 bonus means CAD 3,500 in bets. Also called play-through or rollover.

Welcome bonus

A promotion for new players, usually a match on the first deposit and sometimes free spins. It carries wagering, expiry and maximum bet rules, which matter more than the headline amount.

Windfall

A term used in Canadian tax for an unexpected gain, such as a lottery prize or a casual gambling win, that is generally not treated as income. Business-like gambling can be treated differently, so check with an accountant.