This glossary explains the terms you will run into at crypto casinos. It is written for readers who are new to the niche, and for anyone who wants a clearer picture of how crypto casinos actually work. Most entries cover blockchain concepts and cryptocurrency mechanics, the technology that sets crypto casinos apart from traditional online casinos. You will also find terms tied to licensing, fairness, and security.
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A
Airdrop
Free distribution of tokens to users of a specific blockchain service or token. Airdrops often happen at the launch of a casino token to attract new players and reward early users.
AML (Anti-Money Laundering)
Rules and processes designed to prevent funds from criminal activity from being moved through gambling operators and “washed” clean. AML obligations apply to varying degrees depending on the casino's jurisdiction and license.
Anjouan license
A gambling license issued by the Anjouan Gaming Authority on the island of Anjouan (Union of the Comoros). Anjouan licenses permit cryptocurrency transactions and are common among crypto casinos. The framework is lighter than Curaçao's, with less prescriptive operator obligations.
Read more about Anjouan licenses.
Anonymous casino
A casino that lets players sign up and play without identity verification. “Anonymous casino” and “no-KYC casino” largely point at the same crypto-niche category, the distinction is more about search behavior than product. See also: No-KYC casino, KYC.
B
B2C license (Business-to-Consumer)
A gambling license that lets the operator offer games directly to retail players, as opposed to a B2B license that targets other companies.
Bitcoin Lightning Network
A payment network that runs on top of the Bitcoin blockchain. The Lightning Network enables cheaper, faster, and near-instant bitcoin transactions, including microtransactions. That makes it well suited to casino deposits and withdrawals. See also: Network fee, Blockchain.
Blockchain
A decentralized digital ledger where tokens and transactions are recorded securely and transparently. Each transaction is verified by the network and cannot be altered after the fact.
Block explorer
A tool for tracking the status of a crypto transaction in real time, and for browsing historical transactions. It is commonly used to verify that a deposit to a crypto casino has been confirmed on-chain. Examples include Etherscan (Ethereum) and Blockchain.com (Bitcoin).
Burning
Permanently removing tokens from the total supply. Burning is used as a mechanism to reduce inflation and potentially push the price of a casino token upward. See also: Tokenomics, Casino token.
C
Casino token
A digital token tied to a specific crypto casino. Casino tokens act as a kind of loyalty point built on a blockchain. They unlock perks inside the casino's ecosystem, such as a lower house edge, rakeback, or staking rewards, and can be withdrawn to your own crypto wallet.
Read more in our guide to crypto casino tokens.
Client seed
A random value that the player generates (automatically or manually) and that contributes to the final outcome of a game round. The client seed is a core part of Provably Fair and ensures the casino does not single-handedly control the result. See also: Server seed, Nonce, Provably Fair.
Cold wallet
A crypto wallet that stores private keys offline, typically on a dedicated hardware device. Cold wallets are not connected to the internet during normal use, which makes them resistant to remote theft. The standard practice is to keep long-term holdings in cold storage and only move what you plan to play with into a hot wallet. See also: Hot wallet, Crypto wallet.
Crypto casino
An online casino where you can deposit and play with cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, or stablecoins. Crypto casinos typically operate under offshore licenses with different player-protection standards than nationally licensed casinos.
Crypto wallet
A digital wallet used to hold, send, and receive cryptocurrency. Deposits to and withdrawals from a crypto casino move between the casino and your wallet. Crypto wallets generally do not require KYC. See also: MetaMask, Deposit address, Withdrawal address.
Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA)
The Curaçao regulator that issues gambling licenses and supervises licensed casinos. CGA replaced the previous Gaming Control Board (GCB) under the Landsverordening op de Kansspelen (LOK), the National Ordinance on Games of Chance, in force since December 24, 2024.
Curaçao license
A gambling license issued by the CGA under the LOK. Curaçao is a widely accepted jurisdiction in the industry, with stronger operator requirements than Anjouan but lighter ones than Malta. The previous “Master License” model under the older LBH framework is being phased out under transitional provisions.
Read more about Curaçao licenses.
D
Data Processing License
A registration issued in Costa Rica that lets a company run certain online operations from the country. It is sometimes incorrectly called a “Costa Rica gambling license”, but Costa Rica does not have specific gambling-licensing legislation.
Decentralized casino
A casino where the games themselves run as smart contracts on a blockchain, often Ethereum or BNB Chain. Fully decentralized casinos are still relatively rare. The more common pattern is for game logic to live on a central server while only the transactions touch the blockchain.
Read more in our guide to decentralized casinos.
Decentralized token
A token governed by a community or a DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization), with no central controller. Decentralized tokens appear, among other places, on fully decentralized casinos.
Deposit address
The crypto address that receives the transfer when you deposit cryptocurrency at a casino. Always confirm both the address and the correct blockchain network before sending.
F
Faucet
A feature that hands out a small amount of free cryptocurrency, often worth a few cents. Faucets appear on many crypto casinos and are typically used to distribute the casino's own token to returning players, a kind of free play credit.
Fiat currency
Traditional money such as USD or EUR. Digital fiat transactions always go through a bank or payment processor, unlike cryptocurrencies, which can be transferred without an intermediary.
Fiat gateway
A service that lets you deposit in fiat currency (for example USD or EUR) with automatic conversion into cryptocurrency. Fiat gateways are often offered directly at the deposit step on a crypto casino, so you can play with crypto without already owning it.
Futures
Financial instruments used to speculate on the future price of an asset. Some crypto casinos offer futures-style products tied to crypto prices.
G
Geoblocking
Technical restrictions that prevent players from certain jurisdictions from using a digital service. Crypto casinos use geoblocking to exclude players from countries their license does not cover. See also: Jurisdiction, VPN-friendly casino.
H
Hash function
A mathematical function (such as SHA-256) that takes an input and produces a unique output of letters and numbers. The output cannot be reversed back into the original input without already knowing it. Hash functions are used in Provably Fair systems to prove that the casino did not change a game outcome after the fact. See also: Provably Fair, Server seed.
Hot wallet
A crypto wallet that is connected to the internet and ready to send transactions, such as a browser-extension wallet or a mobile-app wallet. Hot wallets make deposits and withdrawals fast and convenient. The trade-off is exposure: a compromised device or app can drain a hot wallet. See also: Cold wallet, Crypto wallet, MetaMask.
House edge
The casino's built-in mathematical advantage in a game, expressed as a percentage. A 2% house edge means the casino is expected to keep $2 of every $100 wagered over time. House edge is the inverse view of RTP. See also: RTP (Return to Player).
J
Jurisdiction
A geographic area, typically a country, that a gambling license either permits or excludes from playing. The jurisdiction a casino is licensed in shapes which rules apply and what kind of consumer protection a player has.
K
KYC (Know Your Customer)
The set of procedures a casino uses to identify and verify its players. KYC usually means submitting a copy of an ID document and sometimes proof of address. See also: KYC casino, No-KYC casino.
KYC casino
A casino that requires identity verification before play. KYC is the rule at most traditional casinos, while crypto casinos more often allow play without it. See also: KYC (Know Your Customer).
L
Liquidity provider
A person or entity that supplies liquidity to a casino game or to another form of gambling product. Liquidity providers typically earn a percentage of the volume on the game in return. The pattern is most common on decentralized casinos. See also: Decentralized casino.
M
MetaMask
One of the most popular crypto wallets, available as a browser extension and a mobile app. MetaMask connects easily to a crypto casino as a login option or to fund deposits and withdrawals. See also: Crypto wallet.
MGA license
A gambling license issued by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), the EU-level reference standard for online gambling regulation. MGA licenses are rare among crypto-native casinos but signal stronger consumer protection where they appear. See also: Curaçao license, Anjouan license, Offshore gambling license.
N
Network fee
The fee paid to a blockchain network for a transaction to be processed. Network fees affect the total cost of withdrawing crypto from a casino. They vary by chain and by network load. See also: Blockchain.
NFT casino
A casino that uses NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) as part of its game mechanics or rewards system. NFTs can represent unique in-game items or VIP tiers, for example.
No-KYC casino
A casino where deposits and play happen without identity verification, no ID copy or passport scan required. Note that KYC is often still triggered at larger withdrawals, even at casinos that otherwise skip it. See also: KYC (Know Your Customer).
Read our guide: KYC vs no-KYC crypto casino.
Nonce
A counter that increases with each game round, ensuring every round is unique. The nonce is one of several mechanisms inside Provably Fair that prevent identical outcomes from repeating. See also: Provably Fair, Client seed, Server seed.
O
Offshore gambling license
A gambling license issued in a country other than the one where the majority of the operator's players live. Common offshore jurisdictions for crypto casinos include Curaçao, Anjouan, and Costa Rica. Offshore licenses generally come with weaker player protection than locally regulated licenses. See also: Curaçao license, Anjouan license, Data Processing License.
Read more about gambling licenses.
On-chain / off-chain
On-chain transactions settle directly on a blockchain and are recorded in its public ledger. Off-chain transactions happen on top of, or alongside, a blockchain and only periodically settle to the underlying chain. The Bitcoin Lightning Network is one example. Off-chain settlement is typically faster and cheaper, on-chain settlement is what gives a transaction full blockchain finality. See also: Blockchain, Bitcoin Lightning Network.
P
P2P gambling
Peer-to-peer gambling where bets and payouts move directly between players, without an intermediary holding the funds. Common on decentralized platforms.
Provably Fair
A technique that lets players mathematically verify that the outcome of a casino game was not manipulated by the operator. It combines a client seed, server seed, nonce, and hash functions. After each round, the player can confirm the result independently. See also: Client seed, Server seed, Nonce, Hash function.
Read more in our guide to Provably Fair.
R
Rakeback
A percentage of a player's wagers or losses returned by the casino. Rakeback is common on crypto casinos and works as a continuous loyalty mechanism. The rebate can be paid in cryptocurrency or in casino tokens.
Representante de casas extranjeras
A Costa Rica-specific arrangement where a local representative helps a foreign casino register and operate from the country. It is one of the structural quirks of Costa Rica's “data-processing” model for online gambling.
RTP (Return to Player)
The percentage of wagers that a game is expected to pay back to players over time. A 96% RTP means the game is theoretically returning $96 of every $100 wagered. RTP is the inverse view of house edge. See also: House edge.
S
Satoshi
A satoshi is 0.00000001 bitcoin and is the smallest unit of bitcoin, comparable to cents in relation to a dollar. The unit is named after Bitcoin's pseudonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto.
Server seed
A random value generated by the casino before the round is played. The server seed is hidden behind a hash so it cannot be changed once the round has started. After the round, the server seed is revealed so the player can verify the outcome. See also: Provably Fair, Client seed, Hash function.
Smart contract
Self-executing code on a blockchain that controls how token transactions and game logic behave, without input from any central party. Smart contracts are the foundation of decentralized casinos. See also: Decentralized casino, Blockchain.
Stablecoin
A cryptocurrency designed to hold a stable value, often pegged 1:1 to a fiat currency such as the US dollar. Stablecoins are popular at crypto casinos because they remove price volatility from the player's bankroll. The most common stablecoins at crypto casinos are USDT and USDC. See also: USDC / USDT, Fiat currency.
Staking
The process of locking tokens for a period of time to earn rewards or yield. In a casino context, staking usually means locking the casino's own token for perks like rakeback, bonuses, or a share of casino revenue. That is different from staking on a proof-of-stake blockchain, where the goal is to secure the network. See also: Casino token, Tokenomics.
Swap
Exchanging one cryptocurrency for another. Swaps happen on centralized exchanges, on decentralized exchanges, and directly inside many crypto casinos. In many jurisdictions, a swap is treated as a taxable disposal event, see Tax on winnings.
T
Tokenomics
The economic rules and functions that govern a token on a blockchain. Tokenomics covers things like total supply, built-in inflation or deflation (burning), staking mechanics, and initial distribution. Understanding the tokenomics is important when judging the long-term value of a casino token. See also: Burning, Staking, Casino token.
U
USDC / USDT
USDC and USDT are the two most-used stablecoins, with values pegged to the US dollar (1 token is approximately 1 USD). The advantage of playing in these stablecoins is that the bankroll value does not swing with crypto markets, which makes session budgeting easier. See also: Stablecoin.
V
VPN-friendly casino
A casino that does not technically block traffic coming from a VPN (Virtual Private Network), making it possible to play from places that would otherwise be geoblocked. Note that using a VPN can violate the casino's terms of service.
Read more in our guide to crypto casinos and VPN use.
W
Wagering requirements
The number of times a bonus must be wagered before winnings can be withdrawn. A 30x wagering requirement means a $100 bonus must be wagered for a total of $3,000 before withdrawal is possible. Wagering requirements are common on crypto casinos and vary widely between operators.
Withdrawal address
The address in your crypto wallet that you provide when withdrawing from a casino. Both the correct address and the correct blockchain network must be specified for the transaction to land, an incorrect address can mean the crypto is permanently lost. See also: Deposit address, Crypto wallet, Network fee.
