iGaming Glossary

Last updated: May 2026

iGaming uses a substantial technical vocabulary, much of it unintuitive and some of it deliberately obscure. This glossary defines the terms you will most often encounter on SlotMap and in the wider online casino world. Definitions aim for usefulness over abstract precision.

A–C

ADM (Italy)

Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli — the Italian state authority that licenses online gambling operators serving the Italian market. Successor to AAMS. Italian-licensed operators carry an ADM license number.

ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution)

Independent third-party process for resolving disputes between players and operators, mandated by major regulators (UKGC, MGA). Examples: IBAS, eCOGRA. Free for the player; the operator pays per case.

AML (Anti-Money Laundering)

The framework of regulations operators must follow to detect and prevent money laundering. Drives the KYC process and the operator’s right (and obligation) to ask players for source-of-funds documentation.

Bonus abuse

The use of bonus offers in ways that operators consider unfair: opening multiple accounts to claim a welcome bonus repeatedly, depositing only enough to claim the bonus, betting on low-volatility games to clear wagering with minimal risk. Operators void winnings derived from “bonus abuse”; the term is sometimes used loosely to deny payouts to players who simply played within the rules.

Bonus terms

The full conditions of a bonus offer: wagering requirement, time limit, max bet, eligible games, max cashout, etc. Read in full before claiming. Most disputes between players and operators originate in bonus terms not fully read.

Cashback

A bonus structure that returns a percentage of net player loss. Often presented as risk-free; in practice the cashback typically comes with its own wagering requirement.

Cooling-off period

A temporary block on depositing, wagering, or accessing the account, set by the player. Typical durations 24 hours, 7 days, 30 days. Once activated, cannot usually be reversed before expiry.

Curaçao license

An online gambling license issued under the framework of Curaçao (formerly the Netherlands Antilles). Among the most permissive of the common licenses; less stringent player protection than UKGC, MGA, or national EU licenses. We classify it Tier 3 in our license framework.

D–G

Demo play / Free play

Playing a casino game with virtual currency rather than real money. Useful for testing game mechanics; not all operators offer demo play, and not all games have demo modes.

Deposit limit

A cap, set by the player, on the maximum that can be deposited per day, week, or month. The single most useful responsible-gambling tool for active players.

DGOJ (Spain)

Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego — the Spanish authority that licenses online gambling operators serving the Spanish market.

Drops & Wins

A network promotional structure (most associated with Pragmatic Play) where a prize pool is distributed to players hitting specific outcomes on participating slots within the campaign period. Operator participation varies.

Eligible games

The specific games whose play counts toward bonus wagering requirements. Slots are usually 100% eligible, table games often 10% or less, live dealer often excluded entirely. Always check before accepting a bonus.

E-wallet

Electronic wallet payment methods (Skrill, Neteller, PayPal in some jurisdictions, ecoPayz). Often faster for withdrawals than card or bank transfer; may be excluded from welcome bonus eligibility.

Free spins

A bonus structure granting a number of slot spins at a defined bet level. Winnings from free spins typically carry their own wagering requirement.

Gambling Therapy

An international free online support service for problem gamblers, available in multiple languages. See our Responsible Gambling page.

GamStop

The UK national self-exclusion scheme. Once registered, you are blocked from all UKGC-licensed operators for the chosen period. Free, irreversible during the period.

GGL (Germany)

Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder — Germany’s federal-states gambling regulator under the 2021 GlüNeuRStV. Licenses online slot and poker operators with restrictions (max stake limits, no jackpot slots, mandatory cross-operator deposit limits).

H–L

Hit frequency

The percentage of spins on a slot that produce any payout (even a payout less than the bet). Higher hit frequency means more frequent small wins; not a measure of total return (see RTP).

House edge

The mathematical advantage the operator has over players, expressed as a percentage of wagers. The complement of RTP for slots; for table games, expressed directly. House edge varies enormously by game (single-zero roulette ~2.7%; American roulette ~5.26%; some slots ~2%; some keno ~25%).

IBAS

Independent Betting Adjudication Service — a UK-based ADR body for gambling disputes. UKGC-licensed operators are required to nominate an ADR provider; IBAS is the most commonly nominated.

KYC (Know Your Customer)

The verification process operators perform to confirm a player’s identity, age, and (for AML purposes) source of funds. Typically triggered at first withdrawal, sometimes at deposit. Documents commonly required: government-issued photo ID, proof of address (utility bill or bank statement), proof of payment method, and at higher thresholds, source-of-funds evidence.

License tier

SlotMap’s framework for classifying gambling licenses by player-protection strength. Tier 1 (UKGC, MGA, Gibraltar, Alderney, IoM); Tier 2 (national EU regulators: ADM, DGOJ, ANJ, GGL, etc.); Tier 3 (Curaçao, Kahnawake, Costa Rica). Detailed on our How We Test page.

Live dealer

Casino games (blackjack, roulette, baccarat, game shows) streamed in real time from a studio with a human dealer. Operated mostly by Evolution Gaming, Pragmatic Play Live, Playtech Live, Ezugi.

Loose / Tight slot

Loose colloquially means higher RTP; tight means lower. The terms are imprecise; specific RTP figures are the meaningful comparison.

Loss limit

A cap on net losses (deposits minus withdrawals plus current balance) over a defined period. Once reached, further play is blocked. Less common than deposit limits.

M–P

Match bonus

A welcome or reload bonus structure that matches a percentage of the player’s deposit. “100% match up to €200” means deposit €200, receive €200 in bonus funds. Always subject to wagering requirements.

Maximum cashout / Max win

A cap on what can be withdrawn from a bonus win. Critical bonus term: a “100 free spins” offer with a €100 max cashout caps your withdrawable winnings regardless of how lucky you get.

Max bet during bonus play

A bonus term capping the per-bet amount during bonus wagering. Typical caps: €5, €7, £5. Exceeding the cap usually voids winnings derived from the bonus, even on a single non-compliant spin.

Megaways

A slot mechanic licensed by Big Time Gaming, where the number of symbols on each reel varies between spins, producing a variable number of paylines (up to 117,649 in the standard implementation). High volatility; popular but risky bankroll behavior.

MGA (Malta Gaming Authority)

Malta’s gambling regulator. One of the most established and player-protective regulators internationally; Tier 1 in our framework.

NCPG

National Council on Problem Gambling — the US-focused problem-gambling resource organization. Operates the 1-800-GAMBLER helpline.

No-deposit bonus

A bonus offered without requiring a deposit (often a small amount of bonus funds or a few free spins to new sign-ups). Almost always carries strict wagering requirements and low max cashout.

OASIS (Germany)

The German national self-exclusion register. Mandatory cross-operator block for the chosen period.

Pending period

The time between withdrawal initiation and processing, during which the player can usually reverse the withdrawal back to balance. Often 24–72 hours. Some operators use long pending periods or “reverse withdrawal” mechanisms to encourage players to gamble withdrawals back; we flag this as a negative pattern in reviews.

Provably fair

A cryptographic mechanism (used primarily at crypto casinos) that allows the player to verify that a game outcome was not manipulated by the operator. Useful for trust verification in informal-license environments; not necessary in regulated environments where game RNG is independently audited.

Provider

The software studio that produces a game, distinct from the operator that hosts it. Major providers include Evolution, NetEnt, Microgaming, Pragmatic Play, Play’n GO, Big Time Gaming, Hacksaw, Nolimit City, Push Gaming, Relax Gaming.

R–T

Reality check

A pop-up reminder that interrupts play at intervals (typically every 30 or 60 minutes) to inform the player how long they have been playing and how much they have wagered or won/lost. Mandatory at UKGC and MGA-licensed operators.

Reload bonus

A bonus offered to existing players on subsequent deposits (as distinct from the one-time welcome bonus). Typically smaller percentages than welcome bonuses.

Reverse withdrawal

A withdrawal-pending state where the player can return the requested withdrawal to balance and continue playing. Used by some operators as a player-retention mechanism; psychologically pressures players to gamble back amounts they had decided to withdraw.

RNG (Random Number Generator)

The cryptographically secure random source that drives slot outcomes, card draws, and game results in regulated environments. Independently audited by certifiers (eCOGRA, GLI, iTech Labs) for licensed operators.

ROFUS (Denmark)

The Danish national self-exclusion register. Mandatory cross-operator block.

RTP (Return to Player)

The mathematical expected return on a casino game, expressed as a percentage of wagers, over a long sample. A 96% RTP slot returns 96% of money wagered to players in aggregate over millions of spins. Per-session results diverge from this; over time, the average reverts to the RTP. The complement is the house edge.

RUA (Italy)

Registro Unico Autoesclusione — the Italian national self-exclusion register, applying across all ADM-licensed operators.

Self-exclusion

A block (operator-level or national-scheme-level) on the player’s ability to deposit or play. Once activated, irreversible during the chosen period. The most powerful single tool for someone struggling with gambling.

Sticky bonus

A bonus structure where the bonus amount itself cannot be withdrawn; only winnings from the bonus can be withdrawn (after meeting wagering). Distinct from non-sticky bonuses where the bonus amount becomes withdrawable after wagering.

Time limit

A cap on session duration or daily play time, set by the player. Useful as a complement to deposit limits.

Tipster

A person or service offering predictions on sports or casino outcomes, often for a fee. Mathematically, no tipster can produce reliably positive expected value to subscribers in casino games; in sports, very few legitimately can. Most “guaranteed pick” tipsters are frauds.

U–W

UKGC (United Kingdom Gambling Commission)

The UK gambling regulator. The most demanding of the common Tier 1 licensing authorities; operators face substantial license-condition obligations including affordability checks, mandatory ADR participation, robust KYC, and strict advertising rules.

Variance / Volatility

A measure of how widely a slot’s outcomes deviate from the long-term average. Low-volatility slots produce frequent small wins; high-volatility slots produce infrequent large wins. RTP is the same in both cases over a long sample; the experience and bankroll requirements differ enormously.

VIP / Loyalty program

Operator structures rewarding higher-volume players with cashback, bonuses, account managers, expedited withdrawals, and other perks. The mechanics often obscure the fact that VIP programs are funded entirely by VIP-tier players’ net losses; the rewards are a partial rebate.

Wagering requirement

The total amount that must be wagered before bonus winnings can be withdrawn. Expressed as a multiple of the bonus, the deposit, or both. “35x” means 35 times the bonus; “35x bonus + deposit” means 35 times the combined sum — substantially more demanding than 35x bonus alone. Always clarify before claiming.

Welcome bonus / Sign-up bonus

A one-time bonus offered to new players, usually as a deposit match plus free spins. Bonus terms apply (wagering, max bet, eligible games, time limit, max cashout). Calculate the realistic value before claiming.

Withdrawal speed

Time from withdrawal initiation to funds in the player’s payment method. Includes operator pending period, KYC time (if not pre-cleared), processing time, and payment-method transit time. Top-tier operators on Tier 1 licenses with KYC pre-cleared frequently complete within 24 hours; Tier 3 operators commonly take 5–14 days.

For broader orientation, see our How We Test methodology page. For terms not covered here, the UK Gambling Commission and MGA websites are good supplementary references. If a term you have encountered on our site is missing here, email info [at] slotmap [punto] space with the suggestion.

Related pages: How We Test · Responsible Gambling · Casino Review Policy · FAQ · Sources & Citations