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Player Acquisition and KPIs

NDP

New Depositing Player
Player

A player making their first deposit at the operator. Tracked separately from registrations because the deposit is the moment economics start.

FTD

First Time Deposit
Player

The first deposit a player makes. The most-watched conversion event in the funnel because it gates all downstream revenue.

NDP-to-FTD

Player

Conversion rate from registered new depositing player to first deposit. Day-zero performance is where most operators leak preventable revenue.

GGR

Gross Gaming Revenue
Player

Total stakes minus total winnings paid out, before any costs. The top-line revenue number for an iGaming operator. Read more →

NGR

Net Gaming Revenue
Player

GGR after bonuses, free bets, jackpot contributions, and other player-side deductions. The number that actually flows to the operator. Read more →

ARPU

Average Revenue Per User
Player

Net revenue divided by active player count over a period. Used for cohort and segment comparison.

ARPDAU

Average Revenue Per Daily Active User
Player

Daily-resolution ARPU. Common in social casino and high-frequency engagement segments where weekly metrics smooth too much.

LTV

Lifetime Value
Player

Total expected revenue from a player over their relationship with the operator. The benchmark against which CAC has to clear.

CAC

Customer Acquisition Cost
Player

Fully-loaded cost to acquire a player, including media, affiliate, bonus, and operational overhead.

CPA

Cost Per Acquisition
Player

Common affiliate deal structure. Operator pays a flat fee per qualifying NDP. Caps the cost but limits the upside for the affiliate.

CPL

Cost Per Lead
Player

Affiliate compensation paid per registration regardless of deposit. Falling out of favour in regulated markets where lead quality varies sharply.

Payback period

Player

Time required to recover the customer acquisition cost from a player. Common operator benchmark is sub-90 days for healthy economics.

Hold percentage

Player

GGR as a percentage of total wagers. Reflects game margin and player behaviour. Sportsbook hold and casino hold are tracked separately.

Turnover

Player

Total amount staked by players over a period, before any payouts. Different from GGR.

Bonus cost

Player

Cost of bonuses, free spins, and free bets given to players, treated as a contra-revenue item against GGR to derive NGR.

Retention rate

Player

Share of players still active after a defined period. Day-30 retention is the leading indicator most operators benchmark.

Day-30 retention

Player

Percentage of players still active 30 days after first deposit. The single most predictive cohort metric for long-term value.

Day-90 retention

Player

Longer-horizon retention. Players still active 90 days post-FTD. Where the real economics start to compound.

Churn

Player

Inverse of retention. The rate at which active players stop being active. Measured at multiple time horizons.

Active player

Player

Player meeting a defined activity threshold within a period (often a deposit or a stake in the past 30 days). Definitions vary by operator.

VIP

Very Important Player
Player

High-value players managed through dedicated VIP programmes, account managers, and bespoke promotions. Typically 1-3% of base, 30-60% of revenue.

Pareto concentration

Player

The 80/20 (or sharper) revenue distribution in iGaming, where a small share of players account for the majority of NGR. The defining economic shape of the business.

Activation rate

Player

Share of registered players who complete a first deposit within a defined window (typically 30 days). The earliest indicator of acquisition quality.

GGY

Gross Gambling Yield
Player

UK regulator term equivalent to GGR. Used in UKGC fee bands and reporting. Stakes minus payouts before bonuses and tax.

EBITDA margin

Player

Operator profitability metric. NGR minus operating costs as a percentage of NGR. Listed iGaming operators typically run 20-35%.

Deposit conversion

Player

Share of registered accounts that make at least one deposit. Day-zero deposit conversion is the most-watched operator-side acquisition metric.

CLV

Customer Lifetime Value
Player

Total expected gross profit from a player over their relationship with the operator. Some operators use CLV interchangeably with LTV; CLV typically nets bonus and operating cost.

Wagering velocity

Player

Rate at which players cycle through stake volume per unit of deposited capital. Higher velocity correlates with bonus abuse and unstable LTV.

CRM, Retention, and Customer Lifecycle

Optimove

CRM,

CRM platform widely used in iGaming. Player segmentation, lifecycle campaigns, multi-channel orchestration.

Smartico

CRM,

Gamification and CRM platform purpose-built for iGaming. Missions, tournaments, loyalty programme tools.

Lifecycle campaign

CRM,

Trigger-based message series targeting players at specific journey stages. Welcome, second-deposit nudge, dormancy reactivation.

Lifecycle stage

CRM,

Position in the customer journey: registered, depositing, active, engaged, dormant, churned. Each stage has different CRM tactics that work.

Cohort analysis

CRM,

Grouping players by acquisition period or characteristic and tracking metrics over time. The honest view of retention and LTV.

Cohort

CRM,

A group of players sharing a defined characteristic, typically signup month or acquisition channel. The unit of analysis for honest retention metrics.

RFM segmentation

Recency, Frequency, Monetary
CRM,

Player segmentation method scoring on three dimensions. The foundation for most CRM segmentation in iGaming.

Win-back campaign

CRM,

Targeted reactivation effort aimed at recently churned players, typically with a stronger offer than ordinary CRM.

Reactivation

CRM,

Marketing effort targeting dormant players with the goal of bringing them back to active status. Typically lower CAC than fresh acquisition.

VIP manager

CRM,

Dedicated relationship manager for high-value players. Responsibilities span retention, problem resolution, bespoke offers, and AML monitoring.

Tier

CRM,

Loyalty programme level. Standard structure runs Bronze/Silver/Gold/Platinum/VIP with progressive benefits.

Engagement score

CRM,

Composite metric combining recency, depth, and breadth of activity. Used to segment players for CRM and to predict churn.

Push notification

CRM,

Mobile app notification used to drive re-engagement. Heavily restricted in regulated markets with explicit opt-in requirements.

Lifecycle email

CRM,

Email sent based on player stage rather than calendar timing. Welcome series, second-deposit nudge, post-loss reset, dormancy reactivation.

Churn prediction

CRM,

Machine-learning model predicting which players are likely to lapse, typically scored daily. The trigger for proactive retention campaigns.

Send-time optimisation

CRM,

Lifecycle messaging timing personalised per player based on prior engagement patterns. Modest but compounding open-rate uplift.

Frequency capping

CRM,

CRM rule limiting how many messages a player receives per channel per period. Prevents fatigue and reduces unsubscribe rates.

Suppression list

CRM,

CRM exclusion register covering self-excluded, opt-out, dormant, and high-risk players. Always-on rule applied across every campaign.

Re-engagement window

CRM,

Defined period after last activity during which a player is treated as recoverable. After expiry, players are moved to long-dormant or churned segments.

Game Mechanics

RTP

Return to Player
Game

Theoretical percentage of all wagered money a slot or game returns to players over time. Industry standard ranges from 92-98%.

RNG

Random Number Generator
Game

The algorithm that determines outcomes in casino games. Certified by independent labs (eCOGRA, GLI, iTechLabs) for licensed operators. Read more →

House edge

Game

The mathematical advantage built into game design, expressed as 100% minus RTP. The structural reason operators make money.

Volatility

Game

Variance profile of a slot. Low volatility = small frequent wins. High volatility = rare large wins. Affects player behaviour and bankroll dynamics.

Megaways

Game

Slot mechanic licensed from Big Time Gaming. Variable reels create up to 117,649 ways to win per spin.

Cluster pays

Game

Slot mechanic where wins are formed by groups of matching symbols rather than fixed paylines.

Bonus buy

Game

Feature allowing players to purchase direct entry into a slot bonus round. Banned in some regulated markets (UK, Netherlands).

Wagering requirement

Game

Number of times a bonus must be wagered before winnings can be withdrawn. The operator-side mechanism preventing bonus abuse.

Game weighting

Game

Different game types contribute differently to wagering requirements. Slots typically 100%, table games 10-20%, live dealer often 0%.

Live casino

Game

Real-time games with human dealers streamed from a studio. Evolution and Pragmatic Live are dominant providers. Higher hold than RNG games.

Live dealer

Game

Studio-streamed table games with a real human croupier. Operationally more expensive than RNG but commands higher player engagement.

Provably fair

Game

Cryptographic mechanism allowing players to verify game outcomes were not tampered with. Common in crypto casinos.

Progressive jackpot

Game

Pooled jackpot growing with each bet placed across operators sharing the game. Network jackpots can run into millions.

Jackpot pool

Game

Total prize fund accumulated from contributions across operators offering the same networked game.

Hit frequency

Game

Share of slot spins resulting in any payout, regardless of size. Low hit frequency correlates with high volatility.

Free spins feature

Game

In-game bonus round triggered by symbol combinations. Typically the largest payout potential in a slot. Distinct from operator-awarded promotional free spins.

Buy bonus

Game

Mechanic letting players purchase direct access to a slot bonus round at a multiple of base stake. Prohibited in UK, Netherlands, Germany and Sweden; restricted in several other jurisdictions.

Crash game

Game

Game format with a rising multiplier that crashes at a random point. Players cash out before the crash. Popular in LatAm and crypto-facing operators.

Game show

Game

Live-dealer format combining game-show production with gambling mechanics. Evolution Crazy Time and Pragmatic Sweet Bonanza Candyland defined the category.

Platforms, Aggregators, and B2B

White label

Platforms,

Operating model where the operator runs a brand on a third-party licence and platform. Faster to launch, structurally limited margin.

Turnkey

Platforms,

Full operational solution including platform, games, payments, and licence guidance. Closer to launching independently than white label, more vendor-managed than self-built.

Skin

Platforms,

A branded operator instance running on shared platform infrastructure. Common term in white-label arrangements.

Aggregator

Platforms,

B2B service combining multiple game providers behind one integration. Reduces operator integration burden. Examples: Relax Gaming, SoftSwiss, EveryMatrix, Alea.

Game studio

Platforms,

Developer producing iGaming content. Pragmatic Play, NetEnt, Play'n GO, Hacksaw, BTG, Yggdrasil among the most distributed.

Platform provider

Platforms,

B2B vendor providing the operator backend: player accounts, wallet, CRM tooling, reporting. Examples: SoftSwiss, EveryMatrix.

API

Application Programming Interface
Platforms,

Defined contract by which operator and provider systems communicate. Game launch, wallet, settlement all run through APIs.

PAM

Player Account Management
Platforms,

Core operator system handling registration, KYC, balance, transaction history, responsible gambling controls.

Multi-tenant

Platforms,

Single platform instance serving multiple operator brands. Cost-efficient but complicates customisation and isolation.

Game integration

Platforms,

Connecting a new game provider to the operator platform. Direct integration vs through an aggregator. Trade-off between commercial flexibility and time-to-market.

Brand cannibalization

Platforms,

Multiple brands within an operator group competing for the same player base, eroding individual brand economics rather than expanding total market.

Microservices

Platforms,

Platform architecture separating wallet, game launch, KYC, CRM, and reporting into independent services. Operationally complex but enables vendor swapping per layer.

Wallet provider

Platforms,

B2B vendor managing player balance, transaction history, and bonus accounting. Often bundled with PAM, occasionally separate for crypto-specialist operators.

Game lobby

Platforms,

Player-facing browse interface for casino games. The merchandising layer over the integrated game catalogue. Drives 60-80% of session entry points.

Game session

Platforms,

Individual play period from game launch to close. Average session length and per-session GGR are common operator-side reporting dimensions.

Payments and PSPs

PSP

Payment Service Provider
Payments

Third-party processor handling card and alternative payment methods. Examples: Worldpay, Adyen, Nuvei, Trust Payments.

Acquirer

Acquiring bank
Payments

The bank that processes card transactions on behalf of the operator. Different acquirers have different appetite for iGaming risk.

Issuer

Issuing bank
Payments

The bank that issued the player's card. Card decline rates vary heavily by issuer in regulated and grey markets.

Authorization rate

Payments

Percentage of attempted card transactions approved by issuing banks. The operator-side metric for payment health, often 70-85% in iGaming.

Open banking

Payments

Bank-to-bank instant payments. Trustly, Klarna Sofort, Volt, TrueLayer dominate iGaming. Lower fees and chargeback risk than cards.

E-wallet

Payments

Digital wallets like Skrill, Neteller, MuchBetter, ecoPayz, PayPal. Common in iGaming for regulatory and convenience reasons.

Paysafecard

Payments

Prepaid voucher payment method popular in DACH and parts of Eastern Europe. Cash-equivalent, no chargeback risk.

Pix

Payments

Brazil's instant payment system. Now the dominant deposit and withdrawal method for Brazilian iGaming operators.

Crypto payments

Payments

BTC, ETH, USDT and others. Fast, low-fee, but regulatory treatment varies sharply by jurisdiction.

Stablecoin

Payments

Cryptocurrency pegged to fiat currency value, typically USDT or USDC. Often used in offshore iGaming for treasury and player payments.

Crypto onramp

Payments

Service converting fiat currency to cryptocurrency at the deposit step. Lets operators accept crypto without players holding it pre-deposit.

Chargeback

Payments

Player-initiated payment reversal through their card issuer. High chargeback rates trigger card scheme penalties and PSP scrutiny.

Reverse withdrawal

Payments

A pending withdrawal cancelled by the player, returning funds to playable balance. Banned in several regulated markets as a player protection measure.

Cascading

Payments

Routing logic that retries failed payments through alternative PSPs. Improves deposit success rate, requires careful configuration.

Payment orchestration

Payments

Layer routing transactions across multiple PSPs based on cost, success rate, country and method. Reduces dependency on single PSP and improves authorization rates.

Tokenisation

Payments

Replacing card details with a non-reversible token stored by the PSP. Required by PCI DSS; reduces operator-side card-data exposure.

Direct debit

Payments

Bank-pull payment method (SEPA in Europe). Common in Germany; limited use in iGaming because of chargeback rules.

BIN

Bank Identification Number
Payments

First 6-8 digits of a card number, identifying issuer, country and card type. Used by PSPs for routing and risk scoring.

Compliance, AML, and KYC

KYC

Know Your Customer
Compliance,

Identity verification at registration or before withdrawal. Document upload, electronic identity, biometric checks. Required in all licensed markets.

AML

Anti-Money Laundering
Compliance,

Framework of controls preventing the operator from being used to launder funds. Includes transaction monitoring, source of funds checks, suspicious activity reports.

CDD

Customer Due Diligence
Compliance,

Standard verification applied to all customers. Identity, address, age, sanctions screening at minimum.

EDD

Enhanced Due Diligence
Compliance,

Deeper investigation triggered by higher-risk indicators: PEP status, high deposits, jurisdiction risk, adverse media.

Source of funds

SOF
Compliance,

Documentation proving where a player's deposit money comes from. Triggered at threshold values. Increasingly strict in regulated markets.

Source of wealth

SOW
Compliance,

Documentation of overall financial position, broader than source of funds. Required for high-net-worth and high-risk customers.

PEP

Politically Exposed Person
Compliance,

Persons holding prominent public functions, requiring enhanced due diligence under AML rules.

UBO

Ultimate Beneficial Owner
Compliance,

The natural person with ultimate ownership and control of an entity. Must be identified and verified for corporate customers.

Sanctions screening

Compliance,

Check against international sanctions lists (OFAC, UN, EU, HMT). Required at onboarding and on transaction triggers.

Adverse media

Compliance,

Open-source media check for negative coverage of a customer or counterparty. Component of EDD and ongoing monitoring.

SAR

Suspicious Activity Report
Compliance,

Filing made to the regulator or financial intelligence unit when suspicious activity is detected. Filing is mandatory; tipping off the customer is prohibited.

Travel rule

Compliance,

AML requirement extended to crypto transfers. Operators must share originator and beneficiary information for transactions above threshold.

Affordability check

Compliance,

Operator obligation to verify a player can afford their gambling spend. UK and Netherlands have specific frameworks.

Bonus abuse

Advantage play
Compliance,

Players exploiting bonus mechanics to extract value beyond intended use. Multi-accounting, low-risk wagering on permitted games.

Multi-account fraud

Compliance,

Single individual operating multiple accounts to extract bonuses or evade limits. Detected through device fingerprinting, payment matching, and behavioural signals.

Financial risk check

Compliance,

UK-specific affordability mechanism above defined deposit thresholds. Frictionless data check at £150/month net; deeper assessment at £1,000/24h or £2,000/90d.

Single Customer View

SCV
Compliance,

UKGC-mandated capability to identify the same individual across multiple operator accounts and the licensed estate. Phased rollout underway.

Transaction monitoring

Compliance,

Ongoing AML surveillance of player transactions for patterns indicating layering, structuring, source-of-funds concerns. Required across all licensed markets.

Beneficial ownership register

Compliance,

Public or regulator-held filing identifying ultimate beneficial owners of corporate entities. Required for licence applications in most regulated markets.

High-risk jurisdiction

Compliance,

FATF or EU-listed country triggering enhanced due diligence on any customer link. Operators monitor player residence, IP, and source of funds against the list.

Player Protection and Self-Exclusion

Responsible gambling

RG
Player

Operator framework of tools and policies aimed at preventing gambling harm. Deposit limits, time limits, session reminders, signposting to support.

Reality check

Player

Periodic pop-up showing players time spent, money wagered, and net position. Mandated in many regulated markets.

Self-exclusion

Player

Player-initiated block on their own account. National schemes exist in UK, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, and Denmark.

Cooling-off period

Player

Temporary self-imposed restriction shorter than full self-exclusion. 24 hours to several weeks typically.

Time-out

Player

Short cooling-off period, typically 24 hours, that operators must offer at the player's request.

Deposit limit

Player

Player-set maximum deposit over a defined period. Mandatory in most regulated markets, with daily, weekly, and monthly limits.

Loss limit

Player

Player-set maximum net loss over a period. Used in jurisdictions with stricter player protection frameworks.

Session limit

Player

Player-set maximum continuous play duration. Triggered logout or warning after the limit is reached.

GAMSTOP

Player

UK national online self-exclusion scheme. UKGC-licensed operators must integrate, blocking excluded players across the licensed estate.

CRUKS

Centraal Register Uitsluiting Kansspelen
Player

Dutch national self-exclusion register. KSA-licensed operators must integrate at registration and login.

Spelpaus

Player

Sweden's national self-exclusion register. Mandatory check by Swedish-licensed operators at every registration and session.

OASIS

Player

Germany's national self-exclusion register. Mandatory check by GGL-licensed operators.

ROFUS

Register Over Frivilligt Udelukkede Spillere
Player

Denmark's national self-exclusion register, mandatory for Spillemyndigheden-licensed operators.

Net deposit cap

Player

Maximum a player can deposit net of withdrawals over a defined period. Used in some regulated frameworks as the primary affordability lever.

Risk profiling

Player

Operator-side scoring of player gambling-harm risk based on session pattern, deposit velocity, and reversal behaviour. The basis for proactive RG intervention.

Stake limit

Player

Maximum single-bet amount enforced by regulator or operator. UK online slots capped at £5 per spin (£2 for 18-24s) as of 2024-2025.

Marketing, Affiliates, and Attribution

Affiliate

Marketing,

Independent marketer driving traffic to operators in exchange for commission. Comparison sites, content sites, streamers, large media networks.

Affiliate network

Marketing,

Aggregator connecting operators with multiple affiliates under one contract. Reduces operator-side overhead at the cost of margin.

Sub-affiliate

Marketing,

Affiliate working under a master affiliate. Traffic flows through the master's tracking infrastructure.

Revenue share

Rev share
Marketing,

Affiliate deal structure paying a percentage of NGR generated by referred players, often for the player lifetime.

Hybrid deal

Marketing,

Affiliate deal combining CPA and revenue share. Lower CPA upfront, ongoing rev share for the same player.

S2S postback

Server-to-Server
Marketing,

Conversion attribution method passing data directly between operator and affiliate servers. More accurate than pixel tracking.

Postback URL

Marketing,

The endpoint affiliate networks call when a tracked event fires. The data primitive for attribution and commission calculation.

Tracker token

Marketing,

Unique identifier embedded in tracking URLs that attributes a player to a specific affiliate, sub-affiliate, or campaign.

Click ID

Marketing,

Request-level tracking parameter passed through ad platforms and affiliate links to allow individual conversion attribution.

UTM

Urchin Tracking Module
Marketing,

URL parameter scheme for tagging traffic source. Foundational for analytics attribution but not designed for affiliate commission tracking.

Pixel

Marketing,

Tracking script embedded on confirmation pages. Less reliable than server-to-server but easier to implement.

Last-click attribution

Marketing,

Attribution model crediting the final click before conversion. Simple but biased toward bottom-funnel channels.

Multi-touch attribution

Marketing,

Attribution model distributing credit across multiple touchpoints in the conversion journey. More accurate, harder to operationalise.

Lookalike audience

Marketing,

Targeting approach based on modelling cohorts that resemble existing converters. Common in paid social and programmatic channels.

Welcome bonus

Marketing,

Promotional offer to new depositing players, typically a percentage match or free spins. The most expensive single line item in many CRM budgets.

Reload bonus

Marketing,

Bonus on subsequent deposits beyond the initial signup. Used to drive second and third deposits where churn is highest.

Sticky bonus

Marketing,

Non-withdrawable bonus that remains tied to the operator. Player can withdraw winnings, not the bonus itself.

Cashback

Marketing,

Promotional return of a percentage of player losses. Typically a retention tool, particularly for VIP and high-frequency segments.

Max cashout

Marketing,

Cap on the amount a player can withdraw from bonus winnings. The mechanism that limits operator exposure on aggressive promotions.

No-deposit bonus

NDB
Marketing,

Bonus offered without requiring an initial deposit. High abuse risk, limited use in regulated markets.

Free spins

Marketing,

Slot spins awarded as bonus, typically tied to specific games and wagering requirements.

Bonus hunter

Marketing,

Player who systematically pursues bonus offers across multiple operators rather than playing for entertainment.

Whistle-to-whistle ban

Marketing,

UK voluntary ban on gambling advertising during football broadcasts from 5 minutes before kickoff to 5 minutes after the final whistle. Industry self-regulation since 2019.

Affiliate cap

Marketing,

Maximum monthly commission paid to a single affiliate, used to limit operator exposure on aggressive performance partners. Common in early-stage acquisition programmes.

Negative carryover

Marketing,

Affiliate revenue-share term where prior-period player losses against the affiliate continue against future commissions. Increasingly rejected by serious affiliates.

Streamer marketing

Marketing,

Sponsorship and content arrangements with casino streamers on Twitch, Kick, and YouTube. Heavily restricted in UK, Netherlands and Germany; permissive in LatAm.

SEO-driven acquisition

Marketing,

Player acquisition through organic search via affiliate or owned content. Most defensible long-term channel; high upfront investment, slow compounding return.

Markets, Licensing, and Regulation

Regulated market

Markets,

Jurisdiction with a specific iGaming licensing framework. Operators must hold a local licence to legally serve players. UK, Malta, Sweden, Spain, Italy, Netherlands among others.

Grey market

Markets,

Jurisdiction without a clear iGaming licensing framework or where enforcement is inconsistent. Operators may serve players without an explicit local licence.

Prohibited market

Markets,

Jurisdiction where iGaming is explicitly banned under domestic law. Operators serving players from prohibited jurisdictions are operating outside the law.

Channelisation

Markets,

Share of total gambling spend captured by licensed operators in a given market. Falling channelisation indicates regulatory failure.

Tier-1 licence

Markets,

Licence from a high-reputation jurisdiction recognised internationally. MGA, UKGC, Isle of Man, Gibraltar are commonly classified Tier-1.

Crown dependency

Markets,

British Crown Dependencies including the Isle of Man, Jersey, and Guernsey. Distinct from the UK but with strong regulatory reputation.

Offshore licence

Markets,

Licences from jurisdictions like Curacao, Anjouan, Costa Rica, Kahnawake. Faster, cheaper, lower regulatory burden than Tier-1.

DNS blocking

Markets,

Regulator-imposed mechanism blocking unlicensed operator domains at the ISP level. Common in Norway, France, Italy, parts of LatAm.

Geo-blocking

Markets,

Operator-side technical restriction preventing access from prohibited jurisdictions. Required by most regulated frameworks.

Geo-targeting

Markets,

Operator-side personalisation of content, payments, and offers based on player location.

B2B licence

Markets,

Licence held by suppliers (game providers, platforms, aggregators) rather than operators. MGA B2B and others.

Pre-licensure

Markets,

Period before a regulated market opens, where operators position brand and partnerships ahead of the application window. Finland 2027 the canonical case.

Substantive licence

Markets,

A licence with active regulatory oversight, technical certification, and ongoing compliance obligations. Distinguished from nominal licences in name only.

Remote Operator Permit

ROP
Markets,

Nigeria's mechanism allowing offshore-licensed operators to serve Nigerian players without local incorporation. Similar arrangements exist in select other jurisdictions.

Sweepstakes

Markets,

Promotional gaming model relying on no-purchase-necessary entry mechanics, often used in US states without regulated online casino. Legal grey area, growing operator base.

Gold coin / sweeps coin

Markets,

Dual-currency model used by sweepstakes operators. Gold coins are play-only, sweeps coins are redeemable. The structure that enables the model legally.

Multi-licence regime

Markets,

Regulatory model where multiple private operators each hold their own national licence (Spain, Italy, Denmark, Finland 2027). Contrast with state-monopoly model.

State monopoly

Markets,

Regulatory model where gambling is reserved to a state-owned operator (Norway, much of francophone Africa, historical Finland). Private operator entry is structurally closed.

Concession model

Markets,

Limited-number licence framework where operators bid for a fixed slate of concessions (Italy 9-year concession 2026, historical Brazil-state lotteries).

Pre-licensure positioning

Markets,

Brand, partnership and operational work undertaken in a market before the licence application window opens. Finland 2027 the canonical 2026 example.

Vertical legality

Markets,

The status of individual product types (casino, sports, poker, bingo, lottery) within a single jurisdiction. Frequently varies within one country.

Marketing window

Markets,

Pre-launch period during which an operator can build brand awareness without taking real-money bets, governed by jurisdiction-specific rules.

Sandbox licence

Markets,

Time-limited licence variant allowing operator testing of new products or markets under reduced compliance burden. Rare in iGaming but used in some Asian jurisdictions.

Regulator handover

Markets,

Transition of supervisory authority from one regulator to another (Kenya BCLB to GRA Feb 2026, Finland Ahvenanmaa to Pelivirasto 2027). Operationally disruptive for licensed operators.

Industry Roles and Players

B2B

Business-to-business
Industry

Operators or suppliers serving other businesses rather than end-players. Game studios, platform providers, payment processors, affiliate networks.

B2C

Business-to-consumer
Industry

Operators serving end-player customers directly. The category most external observers think of when they say "operator."

eCOGRA

Industry

Independent testing and dispute resolution body for iGaming. Game certification, fairness audits, and player adjudication.

GLI

Gaming Laboratories International
Industry

Major independent testing laboratory certifying RNGs, games, and platforms for regulated markets.

iTechLabs

Industry

Australian-based testing laboratory certifying gaming systems and RNGs for regulated and offshore markets.

IBAS

Independent Betting Adjudication Service
Industry

UK alternative dispute resolution body for player complaints against UKGC-licensed operators.

CMO

Chief Marketing Officer
Industry

Operator-side executive owning acquisition, retention, brand, and CRM. Often the role with the most visibility in iGaming consulting.

Head of Affiliates

Industry

Operator role managing the affiliate programme, partner economics, and channel performance. Often standalone outside the broader marketing function.

COO

Chief Operating Officer
Industry

Operator-side executive owning operational delivery: payments, CRM, customer service, risk, and platform operations.

MLRO

Money Laundering Reporting Officer
Industry

Operator-side senior role accountable for AML compliance and regulator reporting. UK, Malta and EU regulated markets require an appointed MLRO with personal liability.

Head of Compliance

Industry

Operator role owning regulatory adherence across all licensed jurisdictions. Often combined with MLRO at smaller operators, separated at scale.

BMM Testlabs

Industry

Independent testing laboratory certifying gaming systems and RNGs for regulated markets, with strong UKGC and Tier-1 EU coverage.

Affiliate manager

Industry

Operator role managing day-to-day affiliate relationships, deal negotiation, and partner reporting. Often part of the broader marketing function.

Customer support tier

Industry

Layered support model (Tier 1 chat, Tier 2 specialist, Tier 3 senior escalation). The operational delivery layer for player retention beyond CRM.

Need a term explained
in operator context?

If a term you encounter is not here yet, message me and I will add it with proper operator-side context. The glossary updates as the industry shifts.

iGB London · 1-2 July 2026
Meet me at iGB London, 1-2 July 2026.
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