When an entrepreneur first enters the iGaming industry, they don't drown in technology—they drown in terminology. GGR, RTP, PAM, cascading reels, wagering requirements, postbacks—during that first call with a provider, half the words sound like a foreign language.
Publication date:
June 23, 2026
When an entrepreneur first enters iGaming, they don't drown in technology, but in terminology. GGR, RTP, PAM, cascading reels, wagering, postback—during the first call with a provider, half the words sound like a foreign language. That’s normal.
The problem lies elsewhere. As long as you don't understand these terms, it’s easy to be sold unnecessary features, have your project's economics undervalued, or choose the wrong launch model. Someone who confuses GGR and NGR is signing a revenue share agreement blindfolded.
We’ve compiled 30 terms that an operator actually needs—without the academic definitions. We break each one down in plain language and explain exactly how it impacts your bottom line. This isn't a dictionary for the sake of a dictionary; it’s a cheat sheet for your launch.
The online real-money gambling industry: casinos, sports betting, poker, and lotteries. It is an umbrella term that encompasses both the product (platform, games) and the business (operators, providers, affiliates). When you "launch a casino," you are entering iGaming.
The actual real-money games themselves—slots, roulette, blackjack, betting. If iGaming is the entire industry, then gambling is its core: the moment a player places a bet. In practice, the terms are often used interchangeably.
Wagering on sports and events. It is a distinct sector with its own economics, margins, and licensing. Many operators add betting to their casino to keep the player within a single product—this is a separate module, the sportsbook.
The company that manages the casino: it accepts players, manages the wallet, pays out winnings, and is responsible for the brand and traffic. The operator is the one who "owns the business." A provider (like Betstore) supplies the operator with the technology—the platform, games, and payments.
B2C is working with the end player (accepting bets, payouts, bonuses). B2B is supplying infrastructure to another operator (platform, games, payments) without accepting money from the player. These are different legal frameworks—and the license you need depends on which one you are.
A launch model based on a provider's ready-made infrastructure and license. It offers a fast entry with minimal bureaucracy, but you operate within the provider's framework. It is suitable for testing a hypothesis or for teams without strong operational capabilities—the White Labelmodel.
A model where the operator receives the software and integrations, but manages the license, payments, and contracts independently. This offers more control over the product and unit economics, but comes with greater responsibility. It is the choice for those building a brand as an asset — Turnkey.
Gross Gaming Revenue: total bets minus total payouts to players. This is the base metric typically used to calculate revenue share. If players bet 1,000,000 and withdraw 900,000, your GGR is 100,000.
Net Gaming Revenue: GGR minus bonuses, provider commissions, payment fees, and taxes. This is what actually remains for the business. Operators often look at GGR, but they live on NGR — this is the figure that must be factored into your financial model.
The percentage of bets that a slot returns to the player on average over the long term (e.g., 96%). The remaining 4% is the casino's theoretical margin on that game.
The actual percentage retained by the casino from the total turnover of bets over a period. Essentially, it is the flip side of RTP, based on real data rather than theory. A low hold is often a signal of bonus abuse or an incorrectly configured game lobby.
The average revenue generated per player over a period. It shows how much a player brings in on average and helps determine how much you can afford to pay for their acquisition. As ARPU grows, so does your marketing budget ceiling.
The total revenue generated by a player throughout their entire lifecycle in the project. This is a key metric for marketing: if LTV is higher than the cost of acquisition, the project is growing healthily. Retention and bonus logic directly drive LTV.
Retention: the share of players who return after a day, week, or month. Churn: those who have left. Launching is only half the battle; a sustainable business begins where there is retention, not just one-off traffic.
Registration-to-deposit conversion. This shows how effectively the storefront, bonuses, and payment methods guide a player to their first deposit. A low Reg2Dep rate is almost always an issue with the cashier or onboarding process, rather than the traffic itself.
The player account management system: a unified profile, balance, history, limits, and sessions. This is the operational core of the casino, where player data and control logic reside. It is part of the platform.
Player identity verification: documents, verification checks, and access levels. This is required for withdrawals, fraud prevention, and regulatory compliance. In some models, KYC is triggered on demand, while in regulated markets, it is mandatory.
Anti-money laundering measures: transaction monitoring, limits, reporting, and source-of-funds checks. Without a functional AML policy, a regulator will not issue a license, and payment partners will refuse to provide services.
A set of player protection mechanisms: deposit and betting limits, self-exclusion, and risk awareness information. This is both a regulatory requirement and a key factor for reputation. It is a mandatory element in most jurisdictions.
The random number generator is an algorithm that determines the outcome of every spin and ensures game fairness. A certified RNG is the foundation of player trust and a licensing requirement. Content with a fair RNG is integrated via an aggregator.
A studio that develops slots and games (e.g., Pragmatic, Evolution, BGaming, etc.). Operators do not build games themselves; they integrate content from providers. Terms and availability depend on GEO and licensing.
An aggregator is a service that provides access to games from hundreds of providers through a single API, eliminating the need for individual integrations. It saves months of development time and simplifies storefront management. With Betstore, you get 20,000+ games via one connection.
The payout nature of a slot: high volatility means rare, large wins, while low volatility means frequent, small ones. This influences player behavior and how quickly their balance turns over. A mix of volatility in your storefront is a key part of product strategy.
The casino cashier: handles deposits and withdrawals via cards, e-wallets, P2P, and crypto. Deposit conversion depends on it—a poor cashier will nullify any traffic. It is best to design the cashier architecture before launch— payment gateway.
Logic where a payment is automatically switched to a functional gateway if the first one fails. This increases the percentage of successful deposits, especially in complex markets. It is critical for the high-risk vertical.
A reversed payment: a player disputes a transaction through their bank, and the funds are clawed back. A high chargeback rate leads to sanctions from payment systems and account blocks. Anti-fraud measures and smart routing reduce this risk.
A business category that banks and payment processors consider risky—gambling falls into this group. It entails stricter requirements, reserves, and the need for specialized providers. This is why the payment layer for a casino is built differently than for standard e-commerce.
A payment model where an affiliate is paid for an action—usually a player's registration or first deposit. It is a fixed amount per result, making it predictable for your budget. It is configured in the partner dashboard.
A model where a partner (or provider) receives a percentage of the GGR from referred players. Unlike CPA, this is a long-term arrangement: you pay as long as the player generates revenue. Important: revenue share with a provider is a recurring expense, not a one-time payment.
A bonus condition specifying how many times the bonus amount must be played through before winnings can be withdrawn (e.g., x35). It protects the casino from bonus abuse and directly impacts promo economics. Flexible bonus logic is part of the loyalty module.
Now that we've covered the terminology, it's time to look at the numbers. If you are planning a launch, start with a consultation: we will analyze your model based on GEO, license, payments, and economics.
