The online casino glossary: the terms worth knowing

RTP, volatility, scatter, EPIS: the vocabulary of the online casino mixes industry English, technical jargon and a few Belgian regulatory acronyms. None of it is hard, but until you have decoded them, half the information shown inside a game stays unreadable.

This glossary gathers the terms you will actually come across, grouped by use rather than alphabetically — because nobody looks up a definition at random. Each one is explained in plain language, with what it means for you in practice.

The words of the Belgian format

Dice slot. A slot machine whose symbols are dice faces. Nothing to place: the dice land on reels and wins are read along preset lines. Our slots with dice faces form a section of their own.

Dice game. A game where you place dice yourself across one or more grids, with an element of decision: the spot you choose bears on how the round builds. It is the direct heir of the Belgian café machines, and it fills a full section here, that of the dice games on grids.

Grid. The board where the dice land in a dice game. One title often has several, and completing a whole grid usually triggers a bonus.

Column of dice. The set of dice you receive each turn and have to distribute. It is the basic unit of decision in a grid game.

The figures that describe a game

RTP (return to player). The percentage of stakes a game theoretically returns to players, calculated over an enormous number of spins — hundreds of thousands, even millions. An RTP of 96% means that across that mass, the game gives back €96 for every €100 staked. Beware of the most common misreading: it is not a promise about your session. Over a hundred spins, the gap from that average can be considerable, either way.

Volatility. The game's temperament, meaning how wins are spread over time. Low volatility hands out small amounts often; high volatility keeps you waiting, sometimes a long while, but aims bigger. Two games with the same RTP can therefore feel radically different, which is why volatility in slots is best matched to your budget.

Minimum and maximum stake. The range within which you can set your bet. It appears in the game panel, next to the RTP and volatility.

Playing balance. The money in your account available to stake. Not to be confused with what you can cash out: winnings are credited to it, but a withdrawal comes with its own conditions.

Symbols and features

Payline. The path along which symbols are counted to form a combination. Some games run a handful, others dozens — which changes both how often wins land and how much they are worth.

Pay table. The summary of what each symbol is worth according to how many appear. It is the most useful document in a game, and the least consulted.

Wild. A joker symbol: it stands in for others to complete a combination. Some games offer variants — expanding wild, multiplier wild, sticky wild that stays in place for several spins.

Scatter. A symbol that pays wherever it lands, without needing to sit on a line. It frequently triggers a special feature once enough of them appear.

Multiplier. A value that multiplies a win. Depending on the game it applies to one spin, builds up across a sequence, or combines with others.

Free spins. A run of spins granted inside the game itself, triggered by a combination — most often by scatters. An important point for Belgium: the term refers solely to a game feature. There are no free spins handed out at sign-up: the welcome bonus has been banned here since 2020.

Bonus buy. An option that opens a game's main feature straight away, for a markedly higher stake, instead of waiting for it to come round. It does not change the RTP but concentrates the variance. Titles offering it are grouped in our section of titles with a purchasable bonus.

Progressive jackpot. A pot that grows as players stake, sometimes fed by several linked games. It can trigger independently of the combinations on screen.

Account and money terms

KYC. Short for know your customer, the identity check required of every licensed casino. It happens once and governs access to play as well as to payouts. It can be settled in seconds through itsme, or by the classic methods.

Instant withdrawal. A transfer of your winnings that lands within minutes rather than in one to three working days. Not every operator offers it, and conditions vary: minimum amount, daily cap, possible fees. Ours are published on the page covering our payment times.

Demo mode. A game's trial version, played on a play-money balance with no deposit. Every feature is active. It is the best way to approach an unfamiliar title, especially among the new games that have no reviews yet.

The Belgian regulatory vocabulary

This last set is specific to Belgium, and it is the one least often explained.

Gaming Commission. The authority that issues licences, supervises operators and keeps the public register of authorised sites. It is where a casino's legality can be checked.

Class A+ and B+ licences. Two categories of authorisation for online play. Class A+ is tied to a physical casino and allows tables with a filmed croupier; class B+ is tied to a gaming hall and offers automated tables. Ours is a class B+ licence, and the detail sits on our page about our authorisation.

EPIS. The Belgian register of people excluded from gambling. Every licensed operator must check it automatically at each login. You can ask to be added to it yourself, at any time.

Random number generator (RNG). The program that decides the outcome of each spin. It is tested and certified by independent laboratories at any authorised casino. The key point: it has no memory. No game becomes « due » a win after a losing run.

Responsible gaming. The set of tools a licensed operator must make available: deposit caps, session limits, breaks, self-exclusion. They sit in your account, ready to switch on whenever you choose.

Three mix-ups to avoid

A high RTP does not mean a likely win. It is a theoretical average across hundreds of thousands of spins, not a forecast for your evening.

Volatility is not a synonym for generosity. High volatility does not pay more, it spreads differently: less often, but more at a time.

A « hot » game does not exist. The random number generator treats each spin independently of the last. No streaks, no cycles, no machine about to pay out.

Vocabulary does not make you win, it makes you understand

Knowing these terms will change nothing about your results — chance stays in charge. What it does change is what you see: at our dice games casino as anywhere else, an information panel becomes readable, a pay table meaningful, and choosing a game finally rests on something other than its styling.

Open your account to put all this into practice, in demo or for real money.

Frequently asked questions