Casino & Gambling Glossary

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, the provincial body that regulates and licenses gambling operators in Ontario.

A free, confidential Ontario helpline offering support and referrals for gambling, mental health, and substance use concerns.

Bonus spins on a slot that let you play without staking your own money, with winnings usually subject to wagering rules.

An online payment service that lets Canadian players pay directly from their bank account at a casino without sharing card details.

The agency that runs Ontario's regulated online gambling market, contracting with private operators registered by the AGCO.

A long-running Canadian bank transfer service that lets players deposit and withdraw at casinos directly through their bank account.

A Canadian bank-to-bank payment method that moves money between accounts using an email address or mobile number, widely accepted at casino sites.

The identity verification process casinos use to confirm who you are, usually required before your first withdrawal.

Casino games streamed in real time with a human dealer, letting players bet on real tables from their device.

The Quebec Crown corporation that runs the province's lotteries, casinos, and the official online gambling site Espacejeux.

A slot game engine that varies the number of symbols per reel each spin, creating up to 117,649 ways to win.

The official online gambling platform operated by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, also serving Manitoba.

A prize pool that grows as players bet across linked games until one lucky player wins the full amount.

A gambling market overseen by a licensing authority that sets rules on fairness, payouts, and player protection.

An approach and set of tools that help players keep gambling safe, affordable, and within personal limits.

The percentage of total wagers a game is designed to pay back to players over the long run, expressed as a figure like 96 percent.

A voluntary tool that lets a player block their own access to gambling for a set period to help control their play.

Wagering on the outcome of one match or event, legalised across Canada in 2021 after the ban on single bets was lifted.

A measure of how risky a slot is, describing how often it pays and how large those payouts tend to be.

The number of times you must bet a bonus amount before any related winnings can be withdrawn as cash.

An offer for new players, often a deposit match or free spins, used to attract sign-ups at a casino.

The time it takes for a casino to review and release a payout, from internal approval through to funds reaching you.