Casino Inactive Account Fees 2026: Who Charges and When
Rachel Doughty
Updated
Leave money in a casino account long enough and some casinos start charging for it. The rules stop them doing that quickly or quietly, but a fee can still run a small balance down to nothing. Here is what the rules say and what ten UK casinos actually do.
- 12 monthsthe least time before an account can count as dormant
- 5 of 10casinos we review charge a dormant fee
- £5a month, at every one of those five
- 2say in writing they never charge one
Casino inactive account fees: what the rules allow
The Commission states that four conditions must be met prior to charging a fee.
At least 12 months. An account is considered dormant at least 12 months after it was last used.
The balance must be returned. A casino must return the balance to the account holder, often the last account used, prior to charging a fee.
30 Day notice. At least 30 days notice must be given prior to charging a fee.
Reasonable Fee. The fee must be based on cost and reflected in the terms.
The Commission states that a fee charged to a dormant account does not forfeit the balance and the account is still the property of the account holder.
Inactive account fees at ten UK casinos
Flat fees charged to accounts are £5 a month.
| Casino | Fee | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| BetMGM | £5 a month | After 365 days without logging in, BetMGM tries to return balances over £1 to your last deposit method. If the account stays dormant, the fee starts 30 days later. |
| BetVictor | £5 a month | Dormant after 396 days with no deposit, withdrawal or bet. The fee can apply from 30 days after the first warning, taken monthly or built up over 12 dormant months. |
| Casumo | £5 a month | After 12 months without logging in and a month's warning email, Casumo tries to return the balance. If it cannot, it charges. |
| Duelz | £5 a month | Inactive after 12 months without logging in. Duelz tries to refund the balance first; the fee applies only if that fails. After 5 years it may donate funds to safer gambling charities if it cannot find you. |
| kwiff | £5 a month | Emails you after 12 months. The fee starts after 13 months, but for GB accounts kwiff first tries to return the balance to your last payment method. |
| BoyleSports | None named | Dormant after 24 months with no deposit or bet. After at least 30 days' notice, the balance is moved off the account into a separate ledger and the account restricted or closed. |
| Grosvenor | None | Dormant after 12 months without a log-in. Grosvenor contacts you 30 days before and says it deducts nothing from a dormant balance. |
| Midnite | None | No inactive or dormant account fee appears in its terms. |
| MrQ | None | No inactive or dormancy fees. The account stays active and the balance stays put. |
| LiveScore | Not published | LiveScore's full terms sit behind the login, and its help centre does not cover dormant accounts. |
How long before a dormant account fee starts
Approximate months of inactivity shown in casino terms.
-
Duelz: fee possible if a refund failsfrom month 12
-
Casumo, kwiff, BetMGM: fee can startabout month 13
-
BetVictor: fee can startabout month 14
-
BoyleSports: balance moved off the accountafter month 24
Most casinos that impose account fees place the charge at the 13 month mark. Dissenting opinions regarding what constitutes a clock reset (log in, deposit, bet, withdrawal) abound. At BoyleSports for example, clock resets occur with bets or deposits, not log ins.
How to get money back from an old casino account
Your balance remains yours even if your account is dormant.
- 1Log in, or ask support
To stop the clock from running at a given casino, you must log in. If you are unable to log in, contact customer support and provide your name, date of birth and your previously used email address.
- 2Withdraw to a method in your name
If the card you used to fund your casino account has expired, the casino may request a bank account in your name to effect a funds transfer.
- 3Ask about fees already taken
Check whether casino staff attempted to return the funds to you and warned you 30 days prior to charging you the fees. If you are charged the fees and the casino did not attempt to refund you, you are authorized to escalate the matter and file a complaint.
- 4Escalate if needed
A dormancy dispute is about money in your account, so it can go to the casino's dispute service after its complaints process. See our casino complaints guide.
Three things worth knowing about dormant balances
Money held by Casinos is not the same as money held by banks or e-wallets.
- No reclaim scheme
Money held by Casinos is not the same as money held by Banks. Money in a bank account that has been forgotten about may be reclaimed many years later. No such protections exist for money owed to you by a Casino and once fees reach zero, you have no remedy.
- Self-exclusion returns your money
Money owed to you by a Casino is to be returned. A self exclusion does not permit the Casino to block your account and refunds to be withheld.
- Protection still applies
Funds on an account that is not used for a while are considered dormant. A dormant balance is customer funds and protected in accordance with the casinos customer funds protection policy. If that policy is "not protected", a dormant balance is at risk.
Inactive account fees: questions
What is a dormant or inactive account fee?
Some casinos charge a monthly fee for funds that are left on an account that has not been used for a prolonged period. In the UK, the gambling commission allows a casino to charge a dormancy fee after 12 months of inactivity on the account, as long as the casino makes a reasonable effort to return the funds to the account holder and notifies the account holder of the impending charges 30 days in advance.
How much do UK casinos charge for inactive accounts?
Five of the ten casinos we reviewed charge a monthly fee after an account becomes dormant. Of the remaining casinos, Grosvenor and MrQ state they will not charge a fee, BoyleSports and Midnite did not state a policy on fees and LiveScore does not disclose their policies.
Can a casino take all my money for not logging in?
Ultimately, the casino cannot confiscate your funds. However, the casino is allowed to charge a fee after 12 months, which may bring the balance to zero over time.
How do I stop an inactive account fee?
To avoid a forfeit of your funds, you will need to log in and/or place a bet. Check with the casino what activity will reset the 12 month clock.
Can I get dormant account fees refunded?
Contact the casino to find out why they did not take the steps necessary to return your funds and/or notify you of the pending charges.
Rachel Doughty
Editor, Casino Warnings · Bristol
Rachel reads the Gambling Commission's registers and enforcement notices, and the terms casinos publish for British players, then writes them up in plain English.
- Sources
- Gambling Commission guide "Information companies must give you about your account" and its fair terms guidance on account inactivity; LCCP social responsibility code 3.5.3 on self-exclusion; the published terms of the ten casinos we review, including Duelz terms 6, BoyleSports terms 8.4 and BetVictor's dormant account terms.
