Online gambling comes with its own vocabulary, and the jargon can be a real hurdle when you are reading bonus rules or a banking page for the first time. We built this Fair Go glossary to translate the words you actually meet on our site into plain Australian English. You will find pokie mechanics, bonus conditions, banking labels and the safety acronyms that matter for Aussie players, grouped so you can scan the part you need. Everything here is general information, not financial advice, and it is written for adults aged 18 and over. If gambling stops feeling like entertainment, free help is available on 1800 858 858, and you can block yourself across licensed operators through BetStop.
Pokies are the heart of what we do, so it pays to know the language printed in a game's info panel. These terms cover the maths behind a spin, the studios that build our titles, and the practical features you tap before you ever wager a cent. None of them predict a single result, but together they tell you how a game is built and how it tends to behave across thousands of rounds.
Bonuses are where most confusion starts, because a headline figure like "100% up to A$200" tells you almost nothing about the conditions attached. The terms below decode our promotions: how much you must wager, how a code is applied, and the caps that decide what you can actually withdraw. Read these before you opt in, since accepting an offer locks you into its rules until they are met or the bonus is forfeited.
The cashier has its own shorthand, and a quick read of these definitions saves time when you deposit or request a payout. We cover the verification step every Aussie player completes, the funding methods you will see on our banking page, and the timing language that explains why withdrawals are not always instant.
Currency on our site is shown in Australian dollars, and the limits and methods named here reflect the rails we actually offer rather than a generic industry list.
This last group is the one we most want Aussie players to understand, because it sets the legal backdrop and the tools that keep play safe. We are honest about our position: Fair Go is operated by Deckmedia N.V. and licensed in Curaçao, an offshore jurisdiction, not under an Australian licence. The terms here explain what that means and where to turn if play stops being fun.
The last batch is the everyday vocabulary you meet inside your account: the labels on your profile, the buttons in the lobby, and the housekeeping words that crop up when you set a limit or log a session. None of it is technical, but a quick scan saves a double-take the first time a term pops up on screen.
We have kept these definitions short on purpose, since most are self-evident once named. Where a term ties back to safer play or banking, we have flagged it so you can jump to the fuller entry above.
Glossary
Pokies
The Aussie word for slot machines, in a venue or online.
Poker Machine
The older, formal name behind the slang "pokies"; it dates from the mechanical machines in Aussie clubs and pubs and is still used in legislation and venue licensing today.
RTP
Return to Player, the theoretical percentage of all wagered money a pokie is built to pay back over the very long run, measured across millions of spins rather than your individual session.
Volatility
How a pokie trades win size against win frequency; high pays rarely but big.
RNG
Random Number Generator, the certified software that decides every reel position independently, so no spin is influenced by what came before it or by how long you have played.
Paylines
The patterns across the reels on which matching symbols form a win; some pokies fix them, others let you choose how many to back.
Progressive Jackpot
A prize pool that grows as players across a game contribute a slice of each bet, climbing until one lucky spin triggers the payout and resets it.
Hit Frequency
How often a pokie lands any winning combination, expressed as a percentage; a higher hit frequency means more frequent wins, though usually smaller ones.
Demo Mode
Free play on virtual credits, with no real money at stake.
House Edge
The mathematical advantage the casino keeps on a game over time, effectively the mirror image of RTP; an RTP of 96% implies a house edge of about 4%.
RTG (RealTime Gaming)
The long-running game studio that supplies the bulk of our pokie and table library, well known among Aussie players for feature-rich video pokies and reliable certified maths.
SpinLogic
A development studio closely tied to the RealTime Gaming family that produces newer titles in our catalogue, often sharing the same engine and certification standards.
Wagering Requirement
The number of times you must bet a bonus, and sometimes the deposit too, before any winnings convert to withdrawable cash; a 30x requirement on a A$50 bonus means A$1,500 in total wagers.
Bonus Code
A short word or string, such as WELCOME, that you enter in the cashier to unlock a specific offer; without the correct code the promotion is not applied.
Free Spins
Pre-paid spins on a nominated pokie awarded as part of a promotion, with any winnings normally subject to wagering before withdrawal.
No Deposit Bonus
A bonus credited without funding your account first, usually small and tied to strict wagering and a maximum cashout that caps how much you can take out.
Free Chip
A fixed cash bonus, often claimed with a coupon, no deposit needed.
Match Bonus
An offer that mirrors a percentage of your deposit, so a 100% match on a A$100 deposit adds A$100 in bonus funds up to the stated cap.
Max Cashout
The ceiling on how much you may withdraw from winnings tied to a particular bonus; anything above the cap is removed when you cash out.
Cashback
A promotion that returns a percentage of your net losses over a set period as bonus funds or, on some offers, as cash with lighter conditions.
Playthrough
Another name for the wagering requirement on a bonus.
KYC
Know Your Customer, the identity and age checks we run before your first withdrawal to meet anti-money-laundering obligations; expect to supply photo ID and proof of address.
Neosurf
A prepaid cash voucher you redeem by PIN, with no card details shared.
eZeeWallet
A digital wallet supported in our cashier that lets you move funds in and out without exposing your underlying bank or card information.
CashtoCode
A voucher-style payment method that turns cash into a code for online deposits, popular with players who prefer not to use a card.
Crypto (Bitcoin)
Digital currencies such as Bitcoin that we accept for deposits and payouts; transactions settle on a public blockchain and typically clear faster than card withdrawals once approved.
Lightning Network
A second layer built on top of Bitcoin that settles small payments almost instantly and with tiny fees, which is why we offer Lightning BTC alongside standard Bitcoin.
Pending Period
The review window after you request a withdrawal during which our team verifies the payout before it is sent; crypto is paid instantly once this approval clears.
Withdrawal Limit
The minimum and maximum you may cash out in a single request or set period; our minimum withdrawal is A$100, and method-specific caps apply.
IGA 2001
The Interactive Gambling Act 2001, the Australian law that regulates online gambling; it targets operators, not the individual players who choose to use offshore sites.
ACMA
The Australian Communications and Media Authority, the federal body that enforces the IGA and can ask internet providers to block non-compliant gambling websites.
BetStop
Australia's free National Self-Exclusion Register, which lets you block yourself from all licensed Australian operators for a chosen period in a single sign-up.
Offshore Licence
A gambling permit issued outside Australia; it allows the operator to run legally in its home jurisdiction but is not the same as, or a substitute for, an Australian licence.
Curaçao
The Caribbean jurisdiction where Fair Go holds its gambling licence through operator Deckmedia N.V.; it is an established offshore regime rather than an Australian regulator.
Responsible Gambling
The practice of keeping play affordable and fun through limits, breaks and honest self-checks; free, confidential help is available in Australia on 1800 858 858, 24 hours a day.
Self-Exclusion
Barring yourself from gambling for a set time, with us or via BetStop.
Account Verification
The KYC step where you confirm your identity and age before a first cash-out; see KYC above for the documents involved.
Session
A single stretch of play from log-in to log-out; our session-time reminders nudge you when one runs long so a quick spin does not quietly become an afternoon.
Comp Points
Loyalty points earned as you wager real money, which build up in the background and can convert into bonus credit or perks once you reach the threshold.
Loyalty Tier
A rung on our VIP ladder; the more you play the higher you climb, unlocking faster support, raised limits and better cashback as you go.
Deposit Limit
A cap you set yourself on how much you can fund over a day, week or month, applied from your account and impossible for support to override upward on your behalf.
Cooling-Off
A short, self-chosen pause that locks your account for a set stretch, useful when you want a break without committing to full self-exclusion.
Reality Check
An on-screen reminder of how long you have been playing and your net position, designed to interrupt autopilot and prompt a conscious decision to carry on or stop.
Lobby
The main games screen where titles are grouped by category — pokies, table games, video poker — and where the search bar lives if you know the game you want.
Cashier
The banking screen where you deposit, request a withdrawal and enter any bonus code; every funding and payout action starts here.
Balance
The funds in your account, split between withdrawable cash and any bonus money still carrying a wagering requirement before it converts.
