What is Table Splitting?
Table splitting is when one or more players participate in a game listed on StartPlaying without being registered on StartPlaying.
If your game is listed on StartPlaying, every single player at that table must have a StartPlaying account and be signed up for the game through the site.
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.
A GM has 5 players total, but only 3 of them have signed up through StartPlaying.
A GM recruits 2 players from Roll20 forums who join without creating a StartPlaying account, alongside 2 registered StartPlaying players.
Can my friends from outside StartPlaying join my games?
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 those players participate without doing both of the above regardless of whether they are paid, free, or friends.
If you want to add friends or outside players to your game for free, you can follow the steps in How do I Add Players to my Games for Free?
Can I recruit players from outside StartPlaying?
Yes — players recruited from online forums, social media, Roll20, Reddit, or any other platform are welcome, as long as they:
Create a StartPlaying account, and
Sign up for the game on StartPlaying
It is table splitting if those players participate without doing both of the above regardless of whether they are paid, free, or friends.
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.
What are the consequences of 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
If you have been reported for table splitting or have questions about a specific situation, contact support@startplayinggames.com.