A Casino whale is a Player who wagers particularly large amounts of money in the casino. The term refers to the giant mammals that live in the water. For this reason, the German translation is sometimes used as a synonym. A Casino Whale is comparable to a Highroller. There are no precisely defined requirements that must be met in order to be called a whale. However, a casino whale usually bets even higher sums than a "normal" high roller.
According to our research, there is no official origin of the term. However, the most likely theory is that a player with very high turnovers is called a whale because the animal is also impressively large and heavy. For example, a humpback whale weighs around 25,000 kilograms, a sperm whale 41,000 kilograms and a blue whale even between 130,000 - 150,000 kilograms. So a Casino Whale is said to be a similar heavyweight in the casino.
Originally, the term "whale" was used in the Poker scene. For example, experienced poker players refer to weak players as "fish". They see themselves as "sharks". The same applies to the available budget: players with low stakes are considered "fish", and high rollers with high budgets are considered "sharks" or even "whales". In the meantime, the term casino whale has become more widespread, so that the term is not only used in poker, but also in other Games of chance such as Roulette, Blackjack or classic slot machines.
As a Casino Whale, one usually enjoys special privileges in casinos, such as free drinks, trips or preferential treatment. Both in online casinos and in land-based gaming venues, the term is common. However, the term is sometimes perceived negatively by the counterpart.