An online casino account can sit unused while money remains in it.
Under Malta Gaming Authority rules, inactivity is not a licence for an
operator to remove the balance without warning. The current framework
sets minimum notice, fee and balance-handling safeguards, while leaving
some details to the operator’s published terms.
This guide explains the general rules in the MGA’s Gaming
Authorisations and Compliance Directive. It does not decide whether a
particular fee or account decision is lawful, and it does not confirm
that any named website is currently licensed.
“Inactive” is the
current term to look for
Directive 3 of 2018 defines an inactive account as a player account
that has recorded no login, logout or wager for a period chosen by the
B2C licensee. The operator can set that period in its terms, but it
cannot be shorter than three calendar months.
That means there is no single rule that every MGA-licensed casino
account becomes inactive on the same date. One operator may choose a
longer period than another. The starting point is the current account
terms, including:
- the inactivity period;
- which activity prevents inactivity;
- any fee and how often it is charged;
- what happens to the remaining balance; and
- how the player can reactivate or close the account.
The operator must make the circumstances and consequences of
inactivity amply clear in its terms and conditions.
The operator must warn
the player first
At least 30 days before an account is due to become inactive, the
operator must notify the player. The warning must remind the player of
the consequences, including any fee that may be charged.
The notice must also include an option to withdraw the funds so that
inactivity fees can be avoided. That option does not override another
lawful withdrawal restriction. For example, a withdrawal can still be
subject to procedures or obligations that apply under other law.
A practical response to an inactivity warning is to:
- verify that the message really comes from the licensed
operator; - sign in through the known website rather than an unexpected message
link; - read the current inactivity clause;
- check the account balance and pending transactions;
- decide whether to withdraw, use the account or request closure;
and - save the notice and any confirmation.
If the website or legal entity in the message does not match the
account you recognise, pause and verify it before entering
credentials.
What an inactivity fee
can and cannot do
The Directive permits a B2C licensee to charge an inactivity fee if
its terms provide for it and the notice requirements are met. It also
imposes important limits.
An inactivity fee may be charged only while the account has a
positive balance. It cannot push the account below zero. Once the
balance is exhausted, the fee mechanism cannot create a debt merely
because the account remains unused.
The MGA Directive does not set one universal inactivity-fee amount in
the provisions reviewed for this guide. Check the operator’s current
terms for the amount, charging interval and start date rather than
relying on an old review or promotional page.
Self-excluded
accounts receive additional protection
An operator may not charge inactivity fees to an account that is
inactive because the player requested self-exclusion, throughout the
self-exclusion period.
After the self-exclusion period ends, fees may begin only if the
player remains inactive for the further period stated in the terms. That
further period cannot be shorter than one month.
The Directive also says an operator may, where this does not conflict
with anti-money-laundering requirements, close an account and refund the
remaining balance when a player self-excludes for more than six months.
Responsible-gaming and AML obligations take priority over commercial
considerations.
Our separate guide explains the broader scope and
reopening rules for MGA casino self-exclusion.
The Directive also restricts fees where the operator itself excluded
the player. Fees may not be charged unless there were clear and
justifiable reasons for that exclusion.
Reimbursement
where illness prevented access
After inactivity charges start, a player may request reimbursement
when a health-related impediment prevented access to the account. The
Directive places the burden on the player to provide adequate proof.
Without adequate proof, the operator is not obliged under that provision
to reimburse the fees.
This is a narrow rule. It should not be presented as an automatic
refund for every forgotten password, technical problem or period of
non-use. A player relying on it should describe the access barrier,
retain relevant evidence and use the operator’s documented support or
complaint route.
The
operator may close the account instead of charging
Subject to anti-money-laundering law, a B2C licensee may choose to
close an inactive account rather than impose or continue an inactivity
fee.
If it does, the operator must try to refund the remaining balance. It
may send the balance directly or contact the player using the
information it holds. This is why keeping verified contact and payment
details current can matter even when an account is no longer being
used.
If the operator cannot return the money, it can keep the account
open. Alternatively, it can close the account and eventually appropriate
the balance only through the Directive’s specific process.
The final-notice and
five-year safeguard
Appropriation is not automatic when an account becomes inactive or
when an initial warning is sent. The Directive requires several
additional steps.
After failing to return the funds, the operator must send a final
notice explaining that the balance may be appropriated if the player
does not provide a means for remittance. It must use every communication
method available to it, including post.
The relevant time must be clearly stated in the terms and repeated in
that final notice. It cannot be shorter than five years from the date of
the final notice.
If the conditions are ultimately met and the operator appropriates
the funds, the Directive says those funds must be used for
responsible-gaming initiatives, whether run by the operator or by third
parties.
The careful sequence is therefore:
- the account meets the operator’s inactivity definition;
- the player receives the advance inactivity warning;
- fees may apply within the limits, or the operator may choose
closure; - the operator tries to return the remaining balance;
- if that fails, it sends a separate final notice through all
available channels; and - only after the stated period, never less than five years from that
final notice, can the specified appropriation process take effect.
Why “dormant account”
can cause confusion
Search results and old summaries sometimes use “dormant account” as
if it were interchangeable with the current general inactive-account
process. The Directive contains a historic transitional rule for players
who were already inactive on 1 August 2018. Under that transitional
provision, such accounts could be treated as dormant after 30 calendar
months without a transaction, with balance remittance rules tied to the
transition.
That wording should not be applied automatically to accounts opened
or made inactive later. For a current account, use the general
inactive-account definition and articles 32 to 34, plus the operator’s
current terms.
A
licence and a right to serve Britain are different questions
An MGA authorisation concerns the Maltese regulatory framework. It
does not by itself permit a remote casino to serve consumers in Great
Britain. The Gambling Commission says an overseas business needs a
British remote licence to provide remote gambling to consumers in
England, Scotland or Wales.
Before relying on an inactivity clause, first match the legal entity,
website and authorisation. Our guide to what an MGA
casino licence means for UK players explains that distinction. Our
guide to MGA casino
player funds covers the separate safeguards around player-money
reporting and protection.
If you dispute a fee
or balance decision
Keep the issue chronological:
- the version of the terms you accepted;
- the last account activity you can document;
- the advance inactivity warning;
- the fee entries or account statement;
- your withdrawal or closure request;
- the operator’s replies; and
- any final notice.
Raise the matter through the operator’s published complaint process
and ask it to identify the term and regulatory basis it relied on. Do
not send passwords or unnecessary identity documents in an ordinary
email. If the internal process does not resolve the dispute, check the
operator’s approved alternative dispute resolution route and the MGA’s
current complaint information.
Sources reviewed
Reviewed 12 October 2026: