Whether you’re completely new to iGaming or you’re a seasoned veteran, there are a lot of different industry terms that you may or may not be familiar with. Therefore, we’ve rounded up some of the terms we think are helpful to be aware of regardless of your experience level and we’ve provided a brief definition of each term so that you have a complete understanding of what everything means.
General Casino Terminology
Let’s start things off with some general iGaming terminology that you’re likely to encounter at some point during the process of starting your own online casino or perhaps in the early days of operating your own casino.
B2B, which is short for business-to-business, is a type of transaction or relationship that exists between two businesses.
B2C, which is short for business-to-consumer, is a type of transaction or relationship that exists between a business and a consumer.
Bespoke can be defined as something that is custom-made for a single individual or entity.
GGR, short for gross gaming revenue, is the amount of money a casino is left with after subtracting a player’s winnings from the amount of their wagers.
NGR, short for net gaming revenue, is the amount of money a casino is left with after subtracting a player’s winnings and all other related expenses from the amount of their wagers.
The term iGaming has widely been adopted to describe any form of gambling that takes place online as opposed to in a retail establishment.
In the iGaming industry, an operator is often considered to be the entity that’s responsible for “operating” the casino. In many cases, the operator is referred to as the casino itself rather than the company that owns it.
A RNG, or random number generator, is a mechanism designed to ensure a completely random result in a game of chance.
RTP, short for return to player, is the cumulative amount (usually displayed as a percentage) that will be returned to all players on a given game over a period of time.
TTM is short for time to market, which is simply the amount of time it is likely to take to bring a product or service to market.
Casino Product Terminology
If you’re just beginning to research what options are available to you should you decide to start your own casino website, we’ve highlighted a few of the products and solutions in the section below that you may want to consider.
A crypto casino is an online casino that processes payments exclusively using cryptocurrency.
A turnkey casino solution is essentially a ready-made casino solution that often requires one or more additional steps, such as securing a casino license, before operations can begin.
A white label casino solution is a ready-made casino solution that is more or less ready to begin operations without any additional steps required. See our article, What is a White Label Casino, to learn more.
Managed Services Terminology
The process of starting and operating your own casino can be very overwhelming if we’re being completely honest with you, but it really doesn’t have to be. These days, and this is especially true right here at White Label Casinos, there are companies offering a range of managed services that help immensely to simplify the process of starting a casino and to make operating one a breeze.
The abbreviation AML stands for anti-money laundering, which is the process of recognizing and preventing money laundering through online casinos.
Although it’s a very generalized term, compliance is a collection of initiatives that are put in place to ensure that casinos abide by all laws and regulations they are subject to based on the jurisdictions in which they operate.
Customer support or customer service is the department that acts as a player’s first point of contact for any concerns they have about the casino at which they are playing.
KYC is short for know your customer or know your client. KYC procedures are implemented to protect both the casino and the player.
Responsible gaming, or RG for short, is imperative for ensuring the sustainability of an online casino.
Technology Terminology
Whether you’re a tech geek at heart or you don’t understand a thing about technology, there are a few technology terms in particular that you’ll benefit from getting better acquainted with. We won’t go too deep with our definitions of these terms, but we will give you just enough information so that you have a basic understanding of what each of them means.
Hosting can be defined as the place in which a casino website and all digital assets are stored and maintained.
A platform in the iGaming industry is the foundation in which a casino is built.
Software and platform are often used interchangeably in the iGaming industry. For the purposes of starting an online casino though, software can be thought of as an enhancement to the core platform for a casino.
Design Terminology
When it comes to the design of a casino, as you’ll find out by reading below, it’s largely split into two different segments. The good news about these segments is that they are very much customizable, which means that you can control how your casino looks and functions from top to bottom and inside to outside.
The frontend of a casino is the public-facing portion of a casino’s website and/or software.
The backend of a casino is the administrative portion that is only accessible to a casino’s employees or other authorized parties.
A responsive casino is a casino that is compatible with all of the latest devices and browsers.
Licensing Terminology
These days, licensing is a vital component that contributes greatly to the success of an online casino. And we’re happy to report that when it comes to licensing, there are plenty of options available, so read on to get an idea of what direction you may want to take when it comes to securing licensing for your casino.
Curaçao Egaming is a licensing authority for online casinos.
Jurisdiction, as it relates to iGaming, is defined as a region where iGaming can (or can’t) take place. It can be as small as a local municipality or as large as a group of several countries.
A license, which is granted by a licensing authority, allows an online casino to legally operate in the jurisdiction that falls under the control of the licensing authority.
Regulated markets are defined as jurisdictions in which a licensing authority has been established to oversee gambling-related initiatives.
Unregulated markets, often referred to as grey markets, are jurisdictions where a licensing authority has not been established to oversee gambling-related initiatives.
Casino Games Terminology
When it comes to casino games, the terminology that’s used widely in the iGaming industry is actually pretty straightforward. However, we’ll still give you a quick rundown of some of the most common terms and their definitions just so we’re all on the same page.
An aggregator, as it relates to casino games, is a company or system that makes a large selection of games available via a single integration.
Providers are the companies that create/develop the games that are found at online casinos. Visit our partners page to see some of the game providers we are working with.
Slots, short for slot machines, are the most populous form of casino game in the world (both online and in retail establishments).
Table games at casinos are essentially counterparts to slot machines. There are a wide variety of table games available at most casinos, including blackjack, roulette, and baccarat just to name a few.
Casino Payments Terminology
In iGaming, payment terminology often extends beyond deposits and withdrawals these days, so in the section below we’ll share with you some other terminology that may come in handy for you to be familiar with.
Bitcoin is the world’s most popular digital currency.
Blockchain is a ledger mechanism in which digital currencies such as bitcoin are dependent upon for the verification of transactions.
Cryptocurrency is best defined as intangible digital currency. The opposite of cryptocurrency is fiat currency, which is tangible currency such as dollars, euros, and pounds.
PSP is short for payment service provider. At any given casino, a number of PSPs may be utilized to facilitate the processing of player deposits and withdrawals.
Marketing Terminology
The beautiful thing about marketing in any industry is that you can make it as simple or as complex as you want it to be. That certainly rings true for the iGaming industry, but with competition being stronger than ever, some of the terms below can be helpful when it comes to having all of the pieces of the marketing puzzle at your disposal.
An affiliate program is a platform that establishes a referral marketing channel for a company.
Affiliates, also known as publishers, are individuals or companies who refer their audience to a casino in exchange for compensation.
Bonuses and promotions are marketing tools designed to acquire and retain casino players.
Gamification is the process of providing enhancements and incentives that are designed to attract and retain players. Forms of gamification in the iGaming industry include things such as tournaments, leaderboards, and missions.
VIP is short for very important person (or very important player as it relates to casinos). A single VIP player can have an impact on a casino’s revenue that’s often greater than many small players combined.
Other Terminology
Once in a blue moon, you may come across a term that really doesn’t fit into any of the above categories, which is precisely why we’ve included an “other terminology” section at the end of this page. It’s not a very robust section to be sure, but it’s vitally important if you’re considering teaming up with us here at White Label Casinos to bring your online casino visions to life!
A duck is a type of bird that spends the majority of its time around water. In iGaming however, a duck is our mascot here at White Label Casinos. More specifically, Geoff is our duck mascot and you can often find him representing White Label Casinos at many industry events.