Part V: Regional & Cultural · Casino Slang & Historical Terms

6.8 Bankroll

Slang — Finance

A “bankroll” is the total amount of money a gambler has set aside specifically for gambling purposes. Professional and serious gamblers manage their bankrolls carefully, typically risking only 1-5% of their total bankroll on any single session or wager. Casino credit departments evaluate a player’s bankroll when determining credit limits. “Bankroll management” is the discipline of allocating gambling funds to maximize longevity and minimize risk of ruin.

In practice

In VIP gaming, a player’s bankroll size is a key determinant of credit extension decisions. Junket operators historically assessed bankroll size (often through informal networks) when deciding which players to invite to Macau.

One entry from the Casino Industry Glossary — 1,157 terms written for surveillance, compliance and operations professionals rather than for players. Definitions describe industry usage; where a term carries a regulatory meaning, verify against the instrument that governs your jurisdiction.