A buy-in is the amount of money you change into chips when you sit down at a casino table, or the fee you pay to enter a tournament. Online, the word also describes paying to jump straight into a slot's bonus round, which British players aren't offered. Here is how each kind works and what a buy-in really buys you.
At a land-based table, your buy-in is the cash you swap for chips before playing.
A buy-in is not a cost: what you lose depends on stakes, number of bets and the house edge.
Treating your buy-in as a fixed session budget is a simple way to keep spending in check.
Feature buy-ins on slots haven't been offered to British players since a January 2020 Gambling Commission warning.
Meaning
Money changed into chips, or an entry fee
Where you meet it
Land-based tables, tournaments, slot bonus buys
Cost of a buy-in
Stake × bets × house edge, on average
UK feature buy-ins
Not offered since January 2020 warning
What a buy-in is
Your buy-in is the money you commit to a game up front. In a casino you hand over cash at the table and the dealer gives you the same value in chips. In a tournament it is the entry fee, which usually buys a fixed stack of tournament chips and a share of a prize pool. Neither is a charge in itself: it is simply the money you have put on the table.
This glossary entry covers the three common uses: table buy-ins, tournament buy-ins and the slot "feature buy-in". It also shows how to turn a buy-in into an honest estimate of what a session costs.
How a table buy-in works in a land-based casino
Dealers in most casinos won't take cash from your hand, because every movement of money needs to be visible to cameras and supervisors. The usual routine is:
Wait for a break between rounds, so you don't interrupt a hand or a spin.
Place your cash flat on the table layout, outside the betting areas.
The dealer counts it in view, may call it out for the supervisor, and drops the notes into the table's cash box.
You receive chips to the same value, often in a mix of denominations you can ask for.
When you leave, take your chips to the cashier (the cage) to change them back into money.
The money you lose on average depends on how much you stake in total, not on the size of the buy-in. Expected loss is total staked × house edge. The examples below use house edges from standard game maths, and assume 60 bets in a session for easy comparison.
Same £100 buy-in, different games (60 bets each)
Game and bet
Stake per bet
Total staked
House edge
Average loss
European roulette, any bet
£5
£300
2.70%
£8.10
American roulette, most bets
£5
£300
5.26%
£15.78
Baccarat, Banker
£5
£300
1.06%
£3.18
Six-deck European blackjack, basic strategy
£5
£300
0.62%
£1.86
Baccarat, Tie at 8 to 1 (8 decks)
£5
£300
14.36%
£43.08
Two things stand out. First, the same £100 can produce an average loss anywhere from under £2 to over £40, purely through the choice of game and bet. Second, these are long-run averages: a single session can swing far above or below them, and you could lose the whole buy-in in a bad run. The cost per hour page explains how speed of play scales these figures.
The casino's own accounts use a different measure. Wizard of Odds on house edge (opens in a new tab) separates the house edge from the hold, which is the share of chips sold at a table that the casino keeps over a shift. Hold tends to look larger than the edge because players recycle the same chips through many bets.
Using a buy-in as a session budget
A buy-in works well as a hard stop. Decide the amount before you sit down, buy in once, and leave when it's gone rather than going back to the cash machine. Dividing it by your stake tells you how many base bets you have: £100 at £5 is 20 bets, £100 at £2 is 50. Our set a budget guide and the session limit entry go further, and online casinos let you fix the same idea with deposit limits.
Never buy in again to win back a loss. Re-buying to chase is one of the clearest warning signs of harmful gambling. Free, confidential help is available 24/7 from the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.
Tournament buy-ins and slot feature buy-ins
A tournament buy-in is a fixed entry fee. It caps what you can lose in the event, though some formats let you re-buy, which raises the total. Our answer on how casino tournaments work covers the common formats.
A feature buy-in (also called a bonus buy) lets a slot player pay a multiple of the stake to go straight to the bonus round. Since a Gambling Commission warning in January 2020, feature buy-ins are not offered to British players. The Commission said they let players stake significant sums to reach a bonus without playing the base game, and found one game charging more than £3,000 to enter its feature, as CasinoBeats reported at the time (opens in a new tab). Our pages on the buy feature and the UK feature buy rule explain more.
Online you don't buy in at a table: your account balance plays the same role, and a deposit limit can fix its size. The offers below are mainly slot offers, and table and live games are often excluded or weighted lower for wagering, so read the terms first. 18+ and terms apply.
Casumo: new customers opting in get a 50% bonus up to £100 on a first deposit of £20 or more, with 10x wagering on the bonus within 7 days and a £5 maximum bet while it is active. 10bet: pick the casino welcome bonus at sign-up and deposit within 7 days for a 100% match up to £25, wagered 10x on slots within 3 days, maximum bonus winnings £1,000, Skrill and Neteller excluded. Coral: deposit and bet £10 or more on slots for 100 free spins at 10p each on selected games, to accept within 48 hours and use within 7 days, with no wagering on winnings.
Significant terms: 18+. New customers only. Opt-in required. 50% deposit bonus up to £100 on first deposit. Minimum deposit £20. 10x wagering on the bonus amount. Maximum bet or spin £5. Bonus valid for 7 days. Game, play and payment method restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Significant terms: 18+. New UK customers only. Select the casino welcome bonus at sign-up and make your first deposit within 7 days. 100% bonus up to £25. Wager the bonus 10x on slots within 3 days. Maximum bonus winnings £1,000. Skrill and Neteller deposits do not qualify. Bonus is not redeemable. Full T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our 10bet reviewLicence: Blue Star Planet Limited, Gambling Commission account 43173. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New players only. Offer runs 01/10/2026 to 01/02/2027. Deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10+ on slot games to get 100 free spins (selected games, £0.10 each, 48 hrs to accept, valid 7 days). No wagering on free spin winnings. Deposits by Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our Coral reviewLicence: LC International Limited, Gambling Commission account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.
Frequently asked questions
What does buy-in mean in a casino?
A buy-in is the money you change into chips to start playing at a table, or the entry fee for a tournament. At a land-based table you put cash on the layout and the dealer gives you chips of the same value. It is your stake money rather than a fee, and you can cash unused chips back. Our chip entry explains how table chips work.
How much should my buy-in be?
Only an amount you can afford to lose in full, set before you start. A common way to size it is in base bets: £100 at a £5 table gives 20 bets, which can go quickly in a losing run. Lower stakes stretch the same buy-in further. The session budget calculator helps you plan a realistic amount.
Is the buy-in what I will lose?
Not on average, but it can be. Your average loss is your total stake multiplied by the house edge, so £300 staked on European roulette costs about £8.10 on average. Short sessions vary widely, though, and you may lose the whole buy-in or finish ahead. See expected value for the maths behind those averages.
Can I buy into a bonus round on a UK slot?
No. Since a Gambling Commission warning in January 2020, feature buy-ins are not offered to British players. The Commission was concerned that players could stake large sums to reach a bonus without playing the base game, and found one game charging more than £3,000 to enter its feature. Our answer on buying bonus rounds on UK slots gives the detail.
What is a re-buy?
A re-buy is a second buy-in after your chips are gone. In some tournaments it is a set feature with its own rules and deadline. At a cash table it simply means changing more money into chips. Either way it increases what you can lose, so decide in advance whether you will allow one. Our when to stop guide helps set that rule.
How do I cash out my buy-in chips?
Take your chips to the casino cashier, usually called the cage, and they will be changed back into money. Dealers can colour up small chips into larger ones before you leave, which makes them easier to carry. Online, you request a withdrawal from your balance instead. Our cash out entry explains both.
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