What is Table Splitting?
Splitting Tables happens when a Game Master has a game listed on StartPlaying, but not all players for that game are registered through StartPlaying.
If a game is listed on StartPlaying, every single player at that table must:
Have a StartPlaying account, and
Sign up for the game on StartPlaying
This applies to paid players, free players, friends, and players recruited from other platforms.
Examples of Table Splitting
A split table is a table where not everyone is registered with StartPlaying.
If a GM has a game listed on StartPlaying with 5 total players playing, but only 3 of them are registered on StartPlaying.
If a GM has a game on StartPlaying with 2 players from Roll20 forums join without registering, plus 2 registered StartPlaying players.
Can My Friends Play If They Aren’t on StartPlaying?
Yes — as long as they make a StartPlaying account and sign up for your game on the site. That is not table splitting.
It is Table Splitting if your friends:
Do not have a StartPlaying account, and
Do not sign up for the game on StartPlaying
If you want to add friends to your game for free, they still need to create an account and register for the game. You can follow the steps to add them in this FAQ page.
Can I Recruit Players From Outside StartPlaying?
Yes, you can recruit players from:
Online Forums
Social Media
Roll20
Reddit
Other gaming websites
Recruiting outside players is allowed as long as those players:
Create a StartPlaying account, and
Sign up for the game on StartPlaying
It is Table Splitting if those players:
Do not have a StartPlaying account, and
Do not sign up for the game on StartPlaying
What does the Terms of Service say about Table Splitting?
The StartPlaying Terms of Service states:
Do not split tables. All players participating in a session listed on StartPlaying must be registered and paying through StartPlaying.
This means:
If your game is listed on StartPlaying, every player needs to register through StartPlaying.
This includes players who are free or who you found outside the platform.
Every player must be signed up for that specific game on StartPlaying.
Consequences for Table Splitting
If you are found to have a split table, StartPlaying may issue:
A strike on your account, or
A ban and removal from the platform