Our glossary is not intended to be a dictionary-like collection of all the words that can be related in any way to the subject matter, which would be a waste of time for both our staff and our readers.
Instead, we have concentrated on those expressions whose meaning is of fundamental importance for understanding the various aspects of web gaming.
A very simple and quick consultation of the terms most frequently encountered in the world of online casinos.
General Terms
- AAMS: Amministrazione Autonoma dei Monopoli di Stato, which among other things is responsible for regulating gambling.
- Bankroll: the amount of money at the player’s disposal, in the form of tokens, chips, or the balance of the gambling account.
- Bonus: a financial offer to players in the form of “extra” money, free bets or refunds. More information on bonuses.
- Live Casino: mode of play that allows players to stream to real rather than virtual gaming tables. Here is a list.
- Chips (tokens): currency used in gaming rooms instead of money.
- Dealer (croupier): the operator who runs the gaming table, deals the cards etc.. It is virtual in online casino games, real in live games.
- Deposit (deposit, reload): operation by which players can increase the available balance on their casino gaming account, using electronic payment methods.
- High Roller: indicates a player who deposits and bets very high amounts, usually over $1000.
- Jackpot: A cash prize that increases each time a player places a bet. It is released randomly to one lucky player.
- Lobby: the first screen that opens after accessing the programme of an online casino installed on a PC. It is equivalent to the homepage of a website.
- Payout (RTP): Percentage of the collection returned in winnings to players. It is a percentage that statistically indicates “how much a particular game pays”.
- Playtrough (betting or playing volume, wagering): the total amount wagered by a player in all casino games, regardless of whether the bets are successful or not. It is used to indicate the unlocking requirements of bonuses.
- Withdrawal: an operation by which players can cash out the money available on their gaming account by means of various payment methods.
- Doubling: an action permitted only in certain games (slot machines, video poker) which allows the player to attempt to double the winnings obtained. Either you double or you lose everything. In some variants, half-doubling is possible.
- RNG: Random Number Generator, the heart of the software that manages online casinos, is designed to randomly create the possible results of a bet in virtual games.
- Contribution table: table used to indicate the percentage that the various games in a casino contribute to the calculation of the game volume.
- Skill games: casino games not only linked to luck but also partly to ‘skills’, i.e. the player’s abilities.
Terms Related To Slot Machines
- Winning lines: the number of lines on the slot board on which series of equal symbols result in a win. They can vary from 1 to 243 in 5-reel slots containing 3 symbols each (the most common).
- Rollers: represent the lines on which the symbols of the slot machines run vertically.
- Free Spin: self-activated free spins as a bonus game when special symbols appear in certain positions. During these games winnings are paid out but no credit is deducted from the player’s balance.
- Re-spin: particular type of free-spin, re-spins are won with particular combinations of symbols and have special functions.
- Wild: Wild symbol, replaces all other symbols except special symbols in a combination.
- Scatter: special symbol, the win is associated in this case to the presence of several scatter symbols in any position on the reels, even if not on an active winning line. Usually these symbols are also linked to the start of bonus games or free spins.
- Winning multiplier: in some cases it is possible to obtain multipliers which increase the value of the winnings obtained.
- Bet per line: the money bet on each line. The total bet is given by the product of the bet per line and the number of lines.