If you are new to online casino gaming, chances are you are inundated with online casino terminology.
In fact, even if you are experienced with playing at regular land-based casinos, you may find yourself scratching your head at some of the casino terms used exclusively at online casinos.
Not being familiar with the jargon can affect your confidence negatively and throw you off your game. Needless to say, it is not a good thing to be low on confidence when you are dealing with real money online casino games.
The fact is that there are way too many casino terms and acronyms for you to pick up overnight, but you can certainly learn the ones that matter quickly and considerably improve your odds of winning the next time you play at an online casino.
To make your gaming entertainment that much more enjoyable, we have consolidated some of the important casino terms you will need when you play at an online casino.
Common online casino terms you need to know
ACS: You may come across this term in card games, it is an acronym for automatic card shuffler and it refers to an algorithm that shuffles a deck or multiple decks of cards. This term when used in a land–based casino, refers to an actual physical shuffling machine.
Ante: This refers to the minimum initial bet you need to put down in order to keep your hand of cards alive in a card game
Betting Limit: The minimum and maximum amount you can bet at a casino game
Cash Out: When you have funds in your online casino account and you want to withdraw them into your regular bank account, this action is called a cash-out or a withdrawal
Deposit: When you transfer funds into your online casino account which you can then use to make bets on casino games.
Deposit Method: The payment method you choose to fund your online casino account with, for example, a credit card
eCOGRA: Stands for E-Commerce Online Gambling Regulation and Assurance. This is an organization that approves online casinos and attests to their fair gaming and legitimacy.
Encryption: A technique to encode characters and data so it is indecipherable. Used for financial transactions and sensitive data at online casinos to keep the data secure.
House Edge: Refers to the advantage that the casino has and is specific to a game. It is built into the games and this is how casinos make a profit.
Live Dealer Games: Games at an online casino where you can play with a live dealer, generally through video streaming.
Loyalty Program: A rewards program for VIP members at a casino.
Odds: Your chances of winning a bet
Payout: Refers to the amount of money you are returned when you win a bet
Progressive jackpot: A game where the pool is an accumulator and grows until someone “hits the jackpot” and then the pool starts over
RNG: Acronym for random number generator.
A Random number generator is an algorithm that produces a random number as an output every time the algorithm is executed and this random number is then used to determine the result or outcome of a spin of the reel or roll of the dice at an online casino.
A casino is ‘provably fair’ when they use a tested and audited RNG.
Wagering requirements: This usually refers to the amount you need to wager before you can actually withdraw winnings you acquired using a casino bonus such as a free spins bonus.
For example, if a wagering requirement is 40x that means you need to wager 40 times the deposit amount before you can withdraw the bonus money.
Welcome bonus: a common type of online casino promotion where new players are usually rewarded for signing up and making their first or first few deposits.