What Happens When an Online Casino Game Is Retired?
It’s rare that a casino game disappears—especially if it’s a popular one. That being said, casinos retire games for a variety of reasons, such as a poor margin for them, lack of use by patrons, and more. But where do the games go when they’re retired?
In general, games are simply deleted from online casinos, and the pages they were once hosted on no longer exist. Of course, there are some exceptions, so read on to learn more about what happens when an online casino game is retired.
Why Do Online Casinos Retire Games?
In general, an online casino game is retired due to no one playing it, a lost license, or because it costs too much to maintain.
Even though online casinos have low overhead, they aren’t free to run, and as such, casino owners are faced with a tough choice to part with games that no one is playing. Additionally, if it is a branded machine and the license is lost, they have to take it down or face legal problems.
The last case, a game being too much to maintain, is rare in online casinos, but it does happen, so don’t be surprised when a really intricate or buggy game is suddenly missing from your favorite online casino.
5 Things That Happen When a Game is Retired
1. The Game is Deleted
The nice thing about online casinos is that it isn’t as difficult to retire a game as it is in a brick-and-mortar casino. Whereas in a physical casino the game would need to be removed and any outlets/hookups covered, then sold for parts, most online casinos can simply hit that delete button and walk away.
If you are thinking it is a little more complicated than that, you aren’t wrong, as there is still a way back machine and other considerations, but in general, it is a simple delete function with a few extra steps—none of which take up a lot of time.
2. The Game is Taken Offline
There are many reasons for deleting a slot game in an online casino, but know that there are some occasions when the casino has to take down the game. For example, when a license is on hold or expires—a common happening with branded slots. In these cases, the casino may offer the game again in the future.
Most online casino owners will spend significant time considering whether or not it is worth keeping the game around just in case. If it is worth it, they will likely make that page of their website dormant, or block users from accessing it for the time being. In these cases, the webpage may still exist; you just won’t be able to access it. Either way, if you are unsure, don’t be afraid to reach out to customer service and ask.
3. The Game Log is Often Saved
Before we delve too much further into this topic, we do want to mention that many online casinos will download a game log before deleting or temporarily pausing a game. This is because many local laws require they keep logs for a certain amount of time. Although they will eventually be trashed, it is likely you can still see your own play logs in an online casino game that has recently been taken down.
Just know that it isn’t a guarantee, and like everything else on this list, you will need to ask before assuming.
4. The Game is Archived
In rare instances, when a game is removed solely due to low popularity, it may be possible to still access it. While archival rules can vary from casino to casino, some allow the playing of archived games for free—just know you won’t be winning anything either.
To find archived games, scroll to the bottom of your favorite online casino and look for a label like “the vault” or “archive.” While some of these locations may solely be for old news, some also contain games that you can play for nostalgia’s sake.
5. Progressive Machines Continue in Other Casinos
A unique case is when a casino stops offering a machine that had a progressive jackpot. Remember, progressive jackpots are machines that are connected to other machines at other casinos. While they are more common in the brick-and-mortar world, they can occur in online casinos as well.
When an online casino shuts down or stops offering a progressive, the exact game continues on, just somewhere else. You can ask customer service, or do a Google search to find out where. Just don’t expect everything to be the exact same, as casinos have different win rates, even if you are playing on the same machine toward the same progressive. But who knows, you may even like the game better at a different casino!
What Do Casinos Do With Inactive Accounts?
Old and unplayed games aren’t the only things which get deleted in online casinos. While the exact answer can vary, most online casinos, after a certain period of inactivity, will delete old accounts.
They do this because hosting accounts isn’t free. That being said, most have a large grace period before they delete an account, sending several reminders for months or even years before hitting the delete button.
So, if you get an email from your favorite casino about an account deletion, head on over to the website (don’t click any links) and find out more information about how to avoid account deletion. In many cases, it is as simple as logging in again, but in other cases, you may need to play to keep your account active.
If an account still contains money, it is much less likely that a casino will delete it due to inactivity. However, prolonged inactivity can still result in account deletion, though the casino will make many attempts to contact you before doing so. Even if the account still has money in it, if it hasn’t been touched for years, the casino may say it was subject to a “dormancy fee” and take the remaining money to cover it before deleting your account. If you delete your own account, you will lose any money you still had left.
