A confirmation is the moment the network adds your transaction to a block. Every subsequent block adds one more confirmation and makes the transaction irreversible. Casinos usually credit a deposit after one or two confirmations and may require more for larger amounts.
How long it takes. The time depends on the network, not the casino. In Bitcoin a block appears on average about every ten minutes, so a couple of confirmations means tens of minutes. In Ethereum the block interval is measured in seconds, in Tron a transaction is practically instant, in Litecoin it takes a couple of minutes. A large part of the feeling of a slow casino comes from exactly here: often you are waiting for the network, not the operator. With a withdrawal the casino's own processing time is added, which is an entirely separate number.
If a transaction hangs:
- Too small a network fee on Bitcoin or Ethereum — the transaction sits in the mempool until the fee matches the market. Some wallets allow the fee to be raised afterwards. - The casino waits for more confirmations when the amount exceeds its threshold. That should be stated in the payment terms; if it is not, that is a shortcoming. - The wrong network or a missing memo. Then the transaction confirms but the money does not reach the account — support has to intervene and it does not always succeed.
What to check. Copy the transaction ID (txid) immediately after sending: in a block explorer you can see exactly whether you are waiting for the network or the casino, and support will ask for the same ID first. Before a large transfer, send a small test amount. Typical confirmation times and the number of confirmations required are collected in the payments overview, and operator by operator in the reviews.