Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the The Backgammon Society platform, including the website, mobile application, and all related services (collectively, the "Service"), you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not access or use the Service.

These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("User," "you," or "your") and The Backgammon Society ("Company," "we," "us," or "our"). Your continued use of the Service following any modifications to these Terms constitutes acceptance of those changes.

2. Eligibility

You must be at least eighteen (18) years of age to use the Service. By creating an account or participating in any tournament, you represent and warrant that you are at least 18 years old and have the legal capacity to enter into these Terms.

If we discover or have reason to believe that a User is under 18 years of age, we reserve the right to immediately suspend or terminate that User's account without notice and forfeit any entry fees, credits, or winnings associated with the account.

3. Description of Service

The Backgammon Society provides a tournament management and community platform for backgammon players. The Service includes, but is not limited to:

• Tournaments: Organization and management of single-elimination and double-elimination backgammon tournaments, including player registration, check-in, bracket generation, match scheduling, and result reporting.
• Friendly Matchups: Casual match coordination between registered players outside of formal tournament play.
• Leaderboards: City-based and global rankings of player performance across tournaments.
• Achievements: A system for tracking and awarding player milestones and accomplishments.
• Player Statistics: Comprehensive tracking of wins, losses, tournament history, and performance metrics.
• Merchandise Shop: An integrated storefront for purchasing The Backgammon Society branded merchandise and accessories.
• Communications: SMS notifications, email updates, and in-app alerts related to tournaments, matches, and account activity.

We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any aspect of the Service at any time without prior notice.

4. Account Registration & Security

To access certain features of the Service, you must create an account. Registration requires a valid mobile phone number, which will be used for authentication and account verification purposes.

You agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration and keep your account information updated.
• Maintain the security and confidentiality of your authentication credentials, including any verification codes sent to your phone.
• Immediately notify us of any unauthorized access to or use of your account.
• Accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account.

Duplicate Account Prevention: Each individual is permitted only one (1) account on the Service. Our system employs phone number verification and automated detection to prevent the creation of duplicate accounts. Maintaining multiple accounts is a violation of these Terms and may result in suspension or permanent termination of all associated accounts, along with forfeiture of any credits, entry fees, or winnings.

5. Tournament Participation Rules

By registering for and participating in tournaments through the Service, you agree to:

• Registration: Complete the registration process and pay any applicable entry fees before the tournament registration deadline.
• Check-In: Check in at the designated venue using your unique QR code or 4-digit entry code prior to the tournament start time. Failure to check in may result in forfeiture of your spot and entry fee.
• Sportsmanship: Conduct yourself in a respectful and sportsmanlike manner at all times. Treat fellow players, tournament directors, and venue staff with courtesy and respect.
• Match Play: Report match results accurately and honestly. Deliberate misreporting of scores is grounds for immediate disqualification and account suspension.
• Admin Decisions: Accept decisions made by tournament administrators as final. Tournament directors have sole discretion in resolving disputes, making rulings, and determining bracket placements. Their decisions are binding and not subject to appeal.
• Timeliness: Be present and ready to play when your match is called. Excessive delays or no-shows may result in forfeiture of the match.

6. Payments, Entry Fees & Refunds

All payment processing is handled securely through Stripe, a PCI-DSS Level 1 certified payment processor. We do not store your full credit card number, CVV, or other sensitive payment card data on our servers.

Entry Fees: Tournament entry fees vary by event and are clearly displayed at the time of registration. By completing registration, you authorize the charge of the applicable entry fee to your selected payment method.

Multi-Currency Support: Entry fees may be displayed and charged in multiple currencies depending on the tournament location. Currency conversion rates are determined at the time of the transaction by your payment provider.

Refund Policy: Entry fees are generally non-refundable once a tournament has commenced. Refund requests for tournaments that have not yet started may be considered on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the tournament administrator. Approved refunds will be processed to the original payment method within 5–10 business days.

Credits & Coupons: Promotional credits, discount codes, or coupons issued by The Backgammon Society are non-transferable, have no cash value, and may be subject to expiration dates and usage restrictions. We reserve the right to modify or discontinue any credit or coupon program at any time.

Prize Payouts: Tournament prize payouts are distributed at the discretion of the tournament administrator and are subject to applicable local laws and tax obligations. Winners are solely responsible for reporting and paying any taxes owed on their winnings.

7. SMS Messaging Terms

Our SMS messaging services are powered by Twilio. By providing your phone number and opting in to receive SMS messages, you agree to the following:

• Message Types: You may receive tournament alerts, match notifications, bracket updates, account verification codes, check-in reminders, and important service announcements via SMS.
• Message Frequency: Message frequency varies based on your tournament activity. During active tournaments, you may receive multiple messages per hour. Outside of tournament play, messages are infrequent and limited to account-related alerts.
• Opt-In/Opt-Out: SMS messaging is opt-in. You may opt out at any time by replying STOP to any message you receive from us. Upon opting out, you will receive a single confirmation message and no further SMS messages will be sent unless you re-subscribe.
• Help: Reply HELP to any message for assistance, or contact us at support@thebackgammonsociety.com.
• Costs: Message and data rates may apply depending on your mobile carrier and plan. The Backgammon Society is not responsible for any charges imposed by your carrier.
• Carrier Disclaimers: Mobile carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. Delivery of SMS messages is subject to effective transmission by your mobile carrier and network conditions.
• Consent Not Required for Purchase: Consent to receive SMS messages is not a condition of purchasing any goods or services from The Backgammon Society.
• Privacy: Your phone number and opt-in data will not be shared with or sold to third parties for marketing purposes. For more details, see our Privacy Policy.

8. Email & Newsletter Communications

Our email communications are powered by SendGrid, with newsletter and marketing emails managed through Klaviyo-compatible infrastructure.

Transactional Emails: By creating an account, you consent to receive transactional emails related to your account, tournaments, match results, payment confirmations, and other service-related communications. These emails are necessary for the operation of the Service and cannot be opted out of while maintaining an active account.

Marketing & Newsletter: With your consent, you may receive promotional emails, newsletters, tournament announcements, and other marketing communications. You may opt out of marketing emails at any time by clicking the "Unsubscribe" link included in every marketing email or by updating your notification preferences in your account settings.

Email Frequency: Transactional emails are sent as needed based on your activity. Marketing emails are sent no more than a few times per week.

9. Prohibited Conduct

You agree not to engage in any of the following prohibited activities:

• Cheating: Using any unauthorized tools, software, or strategies to gain an unfair advantage in tournament play, including but not limited to backgammon analysis software during matches.
• Multiple Accounts: Creating, maintaining, or using more than one account on the Service, or allowing another person to use your account.
• Harassment: Engaging in harassment, bullying, threatening, or intimidating behavior toward other users, tournament administrators, or venue staff, whether in person or through the Service.
• Match Fixing: Arranging or conspiring to predetermine the outcome of any match or tournament, or intentionally losing a match for any reason other than legitimate gameplay.
• Fraud: Providing false information, using fraudulent payment methods, or attempting to manipulate the system to receive unearned credits, refunds, or prizes.
• Interference: Attempting to interfere with, disrupt, or compromise the integrity of the Service, its servers, or its infrastructure.
• Unauthorized Access: Accessing or attempting to access accounts, systems, or data belonging to other users or to the Company without authorization.
• Illegal Activity: Using the Service for any purpose that violates applicable local, state, national, or international laws or regulations.

Violation of any prohibited conduct may result in immediate disqualification from active tournaments, forfeiture of entry fees and winnings, temporary or permanent account suspension, and/or legal action.

10. Intellectual Property

All content, features, functionality, graphics, logos, trademarks, and software associated with the Service are the exclusive property of The Backgammon Society and are protected by United States and international copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, and other intellectual property or proprietary rights laws.

You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use the Service for its intended purpose. You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works of, publicly display, or commercially exploit any content from the Service without our prior written consent.

11. User Content & Photos

You may upload profile photos and other content to the Service ("User Content"). By uploading User Content, you grant The Backgammon Society a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, transferable license to use, display, reproduce, and distribute your User Content in connection with the operation of the Service, including promotional materials and social media.

You represent and warrant that:

• You own or have the necessary rights to upload and share your User Content.
• Your User Content does not infringe on the intellectual property, privacy, or other rights of any third party.
• Your User Content does not contain any unlawful, offensive, or objectionable material.

We reserve the right to review, moderate, and remove any User Content at our sole discretion and without notice if we determine that it violates these Terms, is inappropriate, or is otherwise objectionable.

12. Third-Party Services

The Service integrates with and relies upon the following third-party service providers. Your use of the Service is also subject to the terms and privacy policies of these providers:

• Stripe: Payment processing for tournament entry fees, merchandise purchases, and prize payouts. Subject to the Stripe Services Agreement.
• Twilio: SMS and voice communication services for match notifications, verification codes, and tournament alerts. Subject to the Twilio Terms of Service.
• SendGrid: Transactional and marketing email delivery services. Subject to the Twilio/SendGrid Terms of Service.
• Shopify: E-commerce platform for the merchandise shop. Subject to the Shopify Terms of Service.

We are not responsible for the practices, policies, or content of third-party services and recommend that you review their respective terms and privacy policies.

13. Disclaimer of Warranties

The service is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis without warranties of any kind, whether express, implied, statutory, or otherwise. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, The Backgammon Society disclaims all warranties, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, and non-infringement.

We do not warrant that the Service will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free, that any defects will be corrected, or that the Service or the servers that make it available are free of viruses or other harmful components. We make no guarantees regarding the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of any content or information provided through the Service.

14. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall The Backgammon Society, its officers, directors, employees, agents, or affiliates be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, punitive, or exemplary damages, including but not limited to damages for loss of profits, goodwill, data, or other intangible losses, arising out of or in connection with your use of or inability to use the service.

Our total aggregate liability to you for all claims arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service shall not exceed the greater of (A) the amount you have paid to us in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim, or (B) one hundred U.S. Dollars ($100.00).

15. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless The Backgammon Society and its officers, directors, employees, agents, affiliates, and licensors from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or related to:

• Your use of or access to the Service.
• Your violation of these Terms.
• Your violation of any applicable law or the rights of any third party.
• Any User Content you submit, post, or transmit through the Service.
• Your participation in tournaments, including any disputes with other players.

16. Dispute Resolution & Arbitration

Governing Law: These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida, United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

Binding Arbitration: Any dispute, controversy, or claim arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service shall be resolved through binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association ("AAA") in accordance with its Commercial Arbitration Rules. The arbitration shall take place in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The arbitrator's decision shall be final and binding and may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction.

Class Action Waiver: You agree that any arbitration or legal proceeding shall be conducted on an individual basis and not as a class action, collective action, or representative action. You waive any right to participate in a class action lawsuit or class-wide arbitration against The Backgammon Society.

Exceptions: Notwithstanding the foregoing, either party may seek injunctive or equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to protect its intellectual property rights or to prevent irreparable harm.

17. Termination & Suspension

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account and access to the Service at any time, with or without cause, and with or without notice. Grounds for termination include, but are not limited to:

• Violation of these Terms or any applicable policies.
• Engaging in prohibited conduct as described in Section 9.
• Fraudulent, abusive, or illegal activity.
• Extended period of account inactivity.
• Request by law enforcement or government agencies.

Upon termination, your right to use the Service will immediately cease. Any provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination shall remain in effect, including but not limited to ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, indemnification, and limitations of liability. Outstanding entry fees, credits, or winnings at the time of termination due to a Terms violation are subject to forfeiture at our discretion.

18. Modifications to Terms

We reserve the right to modify, update, or revise these Terms at any time at our sole discretion. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and may notify you via email, SMS, or a prominent notice within the Service.

Your continued use of the Service following the posting of revised Terms constitutes your acceptance of and agreement to the updated Terms. If you do not agree to the modified Terms, you must stop using the Service and may request deletion of your account.

19. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable, or if modification is not possible, shall be severed from these Terms. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remaining provisions, which shall continue in full force and effect.

20. Contact Information

If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback regarding these Terms of Service, please contact us:

• Email: support@thebackgammonsociety.com
• SMS Support: Reply HELP to any message received from our Service
• Website: thebackgammonsociety.com