Gambling Fundamentals
Bankroll
A bankroll is the money set aside specifically for gambling, separate from essential funds.
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Gambling Fundamentals Terms
Core definitions for wagering, chance vs skill, markets, and gambling products — educational, not legal advice.
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51 published definitions in this topic.
Gambling Fundamentals
Bet
A bet is a single wager placed on a defined outcome at stated terms.
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Betting
Betting is staking money on an event outcome—commonly sports or racing—under fixed or pool odds.
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Betting Turnover
Betting turnover is the aggregate stakes placed over a period—another label for handle in many reports.
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Black Market Gambling
Black market gambling is gambling supply or play that is clearly prohibited in the relevant jurisdiction.
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Buy-In
A buy-in is the amount exchanged for chips or credits to start playing a game or table.
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Cash Win
Cash win is actual net win or loss realized over a period, contrasting with theoretical win.
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Chance
Chance is the role of randomness or uncertainty in determining a gambling or contest outcome.
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Consideration
Consideration is something of value a person gives up to enter a chance-based prize opportunity.
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Gambling
Gambling is staking something of value on an uncertain outcome with a chance of winning a prize.
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Gambling Operator
A gambling operator is the business that offers gambling products to customers under its brand.
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Gambling Session
A gambling session is a continuous period of play from start until the player stops.
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Game Round
A game round is a single complete cycle of play from stake to outcome in a casino game.
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Gaming
Gaming can mean entertainment play or, in regulated industries, casino-style and interactive gambling businesses.
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Gaming Supplier
A gaming supplier provides gambling software, platforms, or services to operators, usually on a B2B basis.
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Gray Market Gambling
Gray market gambling sits in uncertain or inconsistently enforced territory between clearly authorized and clearly prohibited supply.
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Gross Gambling Yield
Gross gambling yield (GGY) is a UK-oriented measure of operator yield from gambling activities, related to but not always identical to GGR.
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Gross Gaming Revenue
Gross gaming revenue (GGR) is player losses to the house: stakes minus player winnings, before certain deductions.
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Hold Percentage
Hold percentage is retained revenue as a percent of handle—synonymous with sportsbook hold in many dashboards.
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House
The house is the gambling operator that banks games and holds the statistical edge.
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House-Banked Game
A house-banked game is one where players bet against the operator, which banks the risk.
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Malfunction
A malfunction is a technical or equipment failure that may invalidate game results under published rules.
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Malfunction Voids All Pays and Plays
“Malfunction voids all pays and plays” is a common rule that defective games cancel stakes and results.
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Mixed Game of Chance and Skill
A mixed game combines meaningful skill with meaningful chance so neither fully alone decides every outcome.
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Mobile Gambling
Mobile gambling is remote gambling conducted through smartphones or tablets via apps or mobile browsers.
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Net Gaming Revenue
Net gaming revenue (NGR) is GGR after specified deductions such as bonuses, taxes, or payment costs—definition varies by company.
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Net Loss
Net loss is total amount lost minus total amount won over a period—what gambling cost you overall.
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Odds
Odds express the proportional payout or implied probability of a betting outcome.
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Offshore Gambling
Offshore gambling usually means using an operator based or licensed outside the player’s home jurisdiction.
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Online Gambling
Online gambling is wagering money or money-like value through internet platforms such as casinos, sportsbooks, or poker sites.
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Pari-Mutuel Game
A pari-mutuel game pools stakes and pays winners from the pool after operator commission.
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Payout
A payout is the amount paid to a player for a winning bet or game result.
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Play-Money Gaming
Play-money gaming uses virtual credits without cash redemption, typically for entertainment.
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Player
A player is the individual customer who creates an account and places wagers.
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Predominant Factor Test
A predominant factor test asks whether chance or skill mainly determines outcomes when classifying an activity.
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Prize
A prize is something of value awarded if a wagering or promotional outcome succeeds.
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Promotional Cost Ratio
Promotional cost ratio measures bonus and free-bet spend relative to revenue, showing how heavily an operator buys play.
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Real-Money Gaming
Real-money gaming is play where cash or cash-equivalent value can be staked and potentially won or lost.
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Regulated Gambling
Regulated gambling is gambling offered under a licensing and oversight framework in a specific jurisdiction.
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Remote Gambling
Remote gambling is gambling offered through remote communication such as the internet, phone, or interactive TV.
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Sportsbook Hold
Sportsbook hold is the percentage of handle retained by the bookmaker after paying winning bets.
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Stake
A stake is the amount of value risked on a bet or game round.
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Theoretical Win
Theoretical win (theo) estimates expected house revenue from house edge × handle, independent of short-run luck.
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Turnover
Turnover is the total amount wagered over a period, counting stakes even when won and restaked.
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Unlicensed Gambling
Unlicensed gambling is gambling offered without a required authorization in the market where it is supplied or used.
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Void Game
A void game is a round cancelled under rules so stakes are returned and results do not stand.
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Wager
A wager is the stake and terms committed on an uncertain outcome.
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Wagering
Wagering is the act of placing a stake on an uncertain outcome under agreed rules.
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Wagering Volume
Wagering volume is the total amount staked across products in a period—used interchangeably with handle/turnover in many dashboards.
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White Market Gambling
White market gambling means supply within clearly authorized, regulated channels for a jurisdiction.
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Winnings
Winnings are positive returns from settled bets or games, interpreted alongside total stakes and fees.
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