What is Reactivation Rate in iGaming? Formula and Use
Reactivation rate is the share of a dormant player group that comes back and deposits. The number that matters is the gap to a control group, not the raw rate.
Reactivation rate is the share of dormant players who make a deposit again within a defined window after a campaign starts. A dormant player is a player with an open account and no deposit for a set number of days. Teams use the rate to see how many players a campaign brought back.
Formula
- Reactivation rate = dormant players who deposit within the window ÷ dormant players in the audience
- Incremental reactivation rate = treated reactivation rate − control reactivation rate
Define the dormant rule once, for example no deposit for 90 days, and take the number from your data. Group players by last-deposit date and check what share of each group deposits again without contact. The point where that share flattens suggests where the dormant window should start.
Example. A frozen list holds 10,000 dormant players. 9,000 are treated and 1,000 are held out. Within 30 days, 900 treated players deposit and 60 held-out players deposit. The treated reactivation rate is 10% and the control rate is 6%. The incremental reactivation rate is 4 points, which is 360 players among the 9,000 treated.
Reactivation rate, treated vs control
Example. 30-day window.
How operators use it
CRM teams compare reactivation rate by segment, offer, channel and time since last deposit. A recently dormant high-value group and a long-silent low-value group need different budgets. Rate is read next to NGR per reactivated player and campaign cost, because a high rate with a costly bonus can lose money.
The incremental version is the one to report. Blueshift describes the logic: the control group is withheld, and the gap in results is attributed to the campaign. The method is explained in incremental lift.
Exclusions come first. Self-excluded players, opted-out players and anyone flagged under safer gambling rules never enter the audience. Check again right before sending.
Common mistakes
- Calling every returning player a reactivation. Some return without a message.
- Changing the dormant rule between campaigns, which makes rates incomparable.
- Counting players added during the campaign. Put them in the next campaign.
- Using a login as the event in one report and a deposit in another.
- Reporting the rate without NGR. Judge the result in NGR after bonus cost.
Related terms
Churn rate marks players as lost, and reactivation rate measures how many return. See player reactivation campaigns for the six-step process and responsible gambling in CRM for suppression rules.
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Discuss a campaignFrequently asked questions
What is a good reactivation rate?
There is no fixed number. Rates depend on how long players have been dormant, the offer and the channel. Compare your rate to your own control group over the same window.
Should reactivation count a login or a deposit?
Pick one event and keep it. A deposit is the stricter and more commercial choice. A login measures return to the product.
What is the difference between reactivation rate and win-back rate?
Both name the same idea in practice. Use one term across your reports, and define the dormant group and the window.
Can self-excluded players be included in the denominator?
No. Remove them before the list is frozen. They are not a target audience, so counting them would distort the rate.