The terms below are the ones that decide whether a bonus is worth taking or a game suits you. We keep the definitions plain and tie the Australian-specific ones - PayID, Neosurf, KYC at offshore sites - to how they actually work. For readers aged 18 and over.
Game and odds terms
RTP and house edge
RTP (return to player) is the percentage of all wagered money a pokie is designed to pay back over millions of spins. A game returning 96% keeps a theoretical 4% house edge, which is the operator's long-run profit. It is a statistical average, not a promise for your session; we explain what RTP means in practice in a separate guide and keep a list of high-RTP pokies.
Volatility (variance)
Volatility describes how a pokie pays. Low-volatility games pay smaller wins more often; high-volatility games pay rarely but larger. It does not change the RTP, only the swings you feel while playing.
Paylines, ways to win and Megaways
Paylines are the set patterns a winning combination must land on. "Ways to win" games pay for matching symbols on adjacent reels regardless of position. Megaways is a licensed engine that changes the symbol count each spin, creating up to 117,649 ways; we cover Megaways pokies on their own page.
Symbols: wild, scatter, multiplier
A wild substitutes for other symbols to complete a win. A scatter usually pays anywhere on the screen and often triggers free spins. A multiplier increases a win by a set factor, such as 2x or 3x.
Progressive jackpots and hold-and-win
A progressive jackpot grows as players across the network bet, until someone wins it - our jackpot pokies page explains how the pools build. Hold-and-win (respin) features lock special symbols in place and give re-spins, often with fixed or progressive prizes attached; see hold-and-win pokies for the format in depth.
Bonus and wagering terms
Wagering requirement (playthrough)
The number of times you must bet a bonus, and sometimes your deposit, before you can withdraw. A$100 bonus at 35x means A$3,500 in wagers - our worked wagering example runs the maths in full. Lower is better, and the base (bonus only versus deposit plus bonus) matters as much as the number.
No-deposit bonus and free spins
A no-deposit bonus is credit or spins given without a deposit, almost always with wagering and a low max-cashout cap; we compare current no-deposit offers on a dedicated page. Free spins are set spins on a named pokie; check whether winnings are cash or bonus funds.
Max bet rule and max cashout
A max-bet rule caps the stake you can place while a bonus is active (often A$5). Breach it and the casino can void the bonus and any winnings. A max-cashout limits how much you can withdraw from a bonus, common on no-deposit offers.
Sticky bonus and contribution
A sticky (non-withdrawable) bonus can be played but never cashed out; only winnings are yours. Game contribution is how much each game type counts toward wagering: pokies usually 100%, table games and live dealer far less or zero.
Payment terms
PayID, Neosurf and BPAY
PayID is Australia's real-time bank transfer using an email or phone number as the account handle; the sites that support it are on our PayID pokies page. Neosurf is a prepaid voucher bought in cash - our guide to Neosurf deposits covers where it works. BPAY is a bank bill-payment system some casinos accept for deposits.
POLi and crypto
POLi was a bank-linked payment service that closed to new use, so we do not recommend sites relying on it. Crypto (Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT) is widely accepted offshore and often clears withdrawals faster than card rails, though value can move with the market; we rank crypto casinos separately.
KYC and AML
KYC (know your customer) is the ID check a casino runs, usually before a first withdrawal, to confirm your identity and age; our guide to KYC and withdrawals explains what to expect. AML (anti-money-laundering) rules sit behind it. Sites that only ask at cash-out, not sign-up, are common offshore.
Account and safety terms
Deposit, loss and session limits
Caps you set on how much you can deposit, how much you can lose, or how long you can play. Lowering a limit usually applies at once; raising one carries a delay.
Self-exclusion and cooling-off
Self-exclusion closes your account for a fixed term or permanently. A cooling-off (time-out) is a shorter pause. Note that Australia's BetStop register does not cover offshore casinos, which we explain on our responsible gambling page.
Frequently asked questions
Anything around 96% or above is competitive online. Remember RTP is a long-run average across millions of spins, not a guide to a single session.
The multiplier alone does not tell you the cost - the base it applies to does. At 35x on the bonus only, you bet the bonus 35 times over; at 35x on deposit plus bonus, a 100% match roughly doubles the turnover you owe before any withdrawal.
To confirm your identity and age and to meet anti-money-laundering rules. Offshore sites often run KYC at your first withdrawal rather than at sign-up.
Usually much less than pokies. Pokies typically contribute 100%, while table and live-dealer games contribute a small percentage or zero, so clearing a bonus on them is slow or impossible.