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Last Updated: May 2026 Written by Marcus Holloway
These website terms of service govern your use of our board games and tabletop gaming review site. Before you scroll down to read about whether Catan is actually worth $43.99 (spoiler: after 47 plays in my dining room, yes), I need you to understand the legal terms that come with browsing, clicking, and purchasing through our affiliate links.
The best website terms of service for your situation depends on how you plan to use it and where.
Honestly, most people skip these pages. I get it. But if you're going to trust my opinion on which dice tower won't wake the neighbors, you should also know how this site operates legally. This user agreement is genuinely shorter and more readable than most legal terms I've seen on competitor sites.
Quick Summary of These Website Terms
Here's the plain-English version before we get into specifics:
- We review board games and earn commissions through Amazon affiliate links
- Our opinions are our own based on hands-on testing
- You agree not to scrape, copy, or republish our content without permission
- We're not liable if a game disappoints your in-laws on Thanksgiving
- Disputes are handled under the laws of our home jurisdiction
The Problem: Why Legal Terms Matter on a Gaming Site
Look, I've been writing about tabletop games since 2017. In those nine years, I've watched countless review sites get into trouble because they didn't clearly disclose affiliate relationships or define what users could and couldn't do with their content.
The FTC requires affiliate disclosures. Amazon's Operating Agreement requires specific language. And copyright law means my 2,400-word breakdown of Catan 5th Edition doesn't belong on someone else's blog without attribution.
These website terms protect both of us.
Recommended Products Mentioned Throughout This Site
Before diving into the legal language, here are three games I reference frequently in our content and that you'll see linked across the site:
| Game | Price | Players | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catan 5th Edition | $43.99 | 3-4 | Strategy newcomers |
| Codenames | $19.99 | 2-8+ | Party groups |
| Pandemic | $39.99 | 2-4 | Cooperative play |
Section 1: Acceptance of These Website Terms
By accessing this site, you agree to these legal terms. If you don't agree, please don't use the site. That's the simplest way I can put it.
You must be at least 13 years old to use this site. If you're under 18, you should have parental permission. We don't knowingly collect data from children under 13, which aligns with COPPA requirements.
What Counts as "Using" the Site
Using the site includes:
- Reading our reviews and guides
- Clicking affiliate links to Amazon
- Leaving comments
- Subscribing to our email newsletter
- Downloading any printable resources we offer
Section 2: Affiliate Disclosure and Commercial Relationships
This is the most important section for transparency. Here's the honest truth about how this site makes money.
We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. When you click a link like this one for Ticket to Ride and purchase the game, we earn a small commission. Your price doesn't change.
In my experience, this commission ranges from 1% to 4.5% depending on the product category. For a $54.99 copy of Ticket to Ride, that's roughly $1.50 to us. Not exactly retirement money, but it pays for the games I buy to review.
Our Editorial Independence
Here's the thing: I bought my copy of Exploding Kittens at a Target in 2026 with my own money. I've never accepted free games in exchange for positive reviews. When I criticize the box insert quality of Unstable Unicorns, it's because the cards genuinely shifted around during my third game night with it.
Affiliate relationships don't influence our ratings.
Section 3: Intellectual Property Rights
Everything on this site, including reviews, photographs of my dining room game setups, comparison tables, and methodology descriptions, is protected by copyright. The content belongs to us unless explicitly noted otherwise.
What You Can Do
- Read and share our articles via social media share buttons
- Quote up to 75 words with proper attribution and a link back
- Print individual articles for personal reference
What You Cannot Do
- Republish full articles on your own site
- Use our photographs without written permission
- Train AI models on our content
- Scrape data for commercial purposes
Section 4: User-Generated Content
If you leave a comment, submit a review, or send us a photo of your kid winning Sushi Go, you grant us a non-exclusive license to use that content on our site.
You retain ownership. We just get permission to display it.
We reserve the right to moderate, edit, or remove comments that contain:
- Spam or promotional links unrelated to the discussion
- Personal attacks against other commenters
- Hate speech or harassment
- Copyrighted material posted without permission
- Off-topic political content
Section 5: Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability
I test products thoroughly. For my Pandemic review, I played 23 games over six weeks before publishing. For my D&D Starter Set breakdown, I ran two complete campaigns with different groups.
But my experience may not be yours.
These website terms specifically disclaim warranties about:
- Whether you'll enjoy a game I recommend
- Whether a game is suitable for your specific group dynamic
- Whether Amazon stock will be available when you click through
- Whether prices match what I quoted (prices change constantly)
Section 6: External Links and Third-Party Sites
When you click an Amazon affiliate link, you leave our site and enter Amazon's ecosystem. Their terms govern that experience, not ours.
Same goes for any other external link, including manufacturer pages, BoardGameGeek references, or Spiel des Jahres archives.
Common Mistakes Users Make With Affiliate Sites
In nine years of running gaming content, I've noticed users sometimes:
- Assume free means without obligation. Reading our reviews is free, but we earn from purchases
- Republish our comparison tables. Don't do this. We notice through reverse image searches
- Expect price guarantees. I last verified prices in May 2026. Amazon changes them hourly
- Skip the disclosure section. It's there for a reason and required by law
Tips for Best Results When Using This Site
- Bookmark articles you reference often, like our Chessex Pound-O-Dice review if you're a D&D player
- Subscribe to our newsletter for monthly testing updates
- Comment with your own experience after playing a game we reviewed
- Email us directly for press inquiries or correction requests
Frequently Asked Questions About These Website Terms
Do I have to accept these terms to read articles?
Yes. By accessing the site, you accept these legal terms. If you disagree with any portion, please discontinue use.
Are your reviews really independent if you earn affiliate commissions?
In my experience, yes. I've recommended cheaper alternatives over premium games when they performed better. My Sushi Go review at $10.99 earns me far less than recommending a $54.99 game, but it's the better choice for many families.
Can I share your articles on social media?
Absolutely. Use the share buttons or paste the URL. Just don't copy the full text into a Facebook post.
What happens if Amazon changes their commission structure?
Our recommendations stay the same. Commission rates have shifted twice since I started this site and our editorial process hasn't changed.
How often do you update these terms?
We review this user agreement annually or when major regulations change. Last update: May 2026.
Do these terms apply to email subscribers?
Yes, plus our separate Privacy Policy covers email-specific provisions.
What law governs disputes?
Disputes fall under the laws of our registered business jurisdiction. Contact us first before pursuing legal action; we resolve most issues informally.
Sources and Methodology
These website terms were drafted using guidance from the FTC's Endorsement Guides (16 CFR Part 255), Amazon's Associates Program Operating Agreement (2026 version), and reviewed against the GDPR and CCPA frameworks. Pricing data was verified directly on Amazon between May 1-15, 2026.
Final Verdict
These legal terms exist to keep this site honest and protect both readers and writers. If you've read this far, you care about transparency more than most. That's the kind of reader I want.
Now go play Azul with someone you love.
About the Author
Marcus Holloway has reviewed tabletop games professionally since 2017, with over 600 published reviews and a personal collection of 340+ games tested across weekly game nights. He holds a background in consumer product analysis and contributes regularly to board gaming community publications.
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Key Takeaways
- Choosing the right website terms of service means matching capacity and output ports to your actual devices
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- Compare price-per-Wh across models to find the best value for your budget