Terms and Conditions
Applies to the IPA, IPL and IPA Alumni tournaments (2026 – 2027)·Last updated November 3, 2026
1 Introduction
1.1 About These Terms
These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern participation in the 2026–2027 Intercollegiate Poker Association Tournament (“IPA”), Intercollegiate Poker League Tournament (“IPL”) and Intercollegiate Poker Association Alumni Tournament (“IPA Alumni”), together the “Events”, organized by Intercollegiate Poker Group LLC, a Connecticut limited liability company that operates the Intercollegiate Poker Association® (together, “the IPA”, “we”, “us” or “our”).
These Terms apply together with the Format & Rules published for each Event. If they conflict, the Format & Rules govern gameplay and scoring, and these Terms govern everything else.
1.2 Acceptance
By registering for or taking part in any Event, you confirm that you have read, understood and agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, you may not participate.
1.3 Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms and the Format & Rules from time to time. The “Last updated” date above shows when these Terms were last revised. We will let registered participants know about significant changes by email or on our website. If you do not agree with a change, you may withdraw from the Events at any time; continuing to participate means you accept the updated Terms.
We may also rule on situations these Terms do not specifically cover in order to preserve the spirit of fair competition and sportsmanship. Our decisions on these matters are final.
2 Eligibility
2.1 Age
You must be at least 18 years old, or the age of majority where you live if that is higher.
2.2 IPA and IPL
IPA and IPL participants must be currently enrolled students at the university they represent. A participant may compete in both the IPA and the IPL.
2.3 IPA Alumni
The IPA Alumni tournament is open only to former IPA participants. Players competing in the current IPA season are not eligible.
2.4 Identity
Each participant may compete only as themselves and may not assume the role or account of another participant. We may verify a participant’s identity, enrollment or alumni status at any time, and may disqualify anyone who cannot be verified.
2.5 Location and Local Laws
The Events are organized in the United States, and participants take part from many countries. You are responsible for making sure your participation is lawful where you are physically located and complies with your university’s rules. The Events are void where prohibited.
3 Free Entry and No Wagering
3.1 Free to Enter
No entry fee, buy-in or purchase of any kind is required to take part in any Event, and no wagers are placed. Prizes are funded by the IPA and its sponsors.
3.2 Skill Competition
The Events are skill-based competitions. Poker as played in the Events is treated as a game of skill, and participants agree not to describe the Events as gambling.
3.3 No Real-Money Play
You may not use any IPA platform, event or channel to organize, promote or communicate about real-money games, gambling or any unlawful activity.
4 Conduct and Fair Play
4.1 Code of Conduct
Participants must behave respectfully toward other participants, spectators, sponsors, university staff and IPA organizers. Harassment, bullying and discrimination of any kind, including on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disability or religion, will not be tolerated.
4.2 Fair Play
Cheating, collusion, multi-tabling, account sharing, use of prohibited software and any other attempt to manipulate results are prohibited, as described in the Format & Rules.
4.3 Solicitation
Participants may not use the Events or IPA channels to recruit other participants into competing organizations or unlawful activity.
4.4 Enforcement
Breaches of these Terms or the Format & Rules may result in warnings, point penalties, forfeiture of prizes, disqualification of individuals or teams, or a ban from future Events. Penalties may be applied after an Event has ended.
5 Sponsors
5.1 Respect for Sponsors
Participants agree to treat the sponsors of the Events with respect and not to actively promote other organizations during the Events.
5.2 Other University Tournaments
To protect the integrity of the Events and the commitments we make to our sponsors, participants agree that, while registered for an Event in the current season, they will not take part in or promote any other intercollegiate poker tournament that is not organized by their own university or university club. If you are unsure whether an event is permitted, please contact us at [email protected] and we will be glad to help. We will not unreasonably refuse a request to take part in another event.
5.3 Consequences
Failure to follow this section may result in disqualification and the forfeiture of any titles, standings and prizes earned in the Events.
6 Prizes
6.1 Awarding Prizes
Prizes are awarded as described for each Event and are distributed by the IPA or one of its sponsors. Prizes are usually paid in cash but may be provided as gift cards, merchandise or another form at our discretion. Prizes are non-transferable and may not be exchanged or substituted except by us.
6.2 Timing and Claiming
We aim to distribute prizes within 180 days of an Event’s completion. Winners must claim their prize within 30 days of it being offered, or the prize is forfeited. Payments may be delayed, for example while results, eligibility or tax documents are being verified, or if a dispute arises.
6.3 Cancelled Events
If an Event is cancelled, shortened or suspended, prizes may be reduced or may not be awarded.
6.4 Withdrawal of Prizes
A prize may be withheld, or reclaimed after payment, if the winner is disqualified or is found to have broken these Terms or the Format & Rules, including after the Event has ended.
6.5 Taxes
Winners are responsible for any taxes owed on their prizes. Where required by law, we will withhold tax from a prize before paying it, for example on prizes paid to winners outside the United States, and the amount received will be reduced accordingly. Before receiving a prize, every winner must provide the required tax documents, regardless of the prize amount: Form W-9 for U.S. persons, or Form W-8BEN (or the applicable equivalent) for non-U.S. persons.
We may report prize payments to tax authorities as required by law. Failure to provide the required documents will result in forfeiture of the prize.
6.6 Legal Restrictions
We cannot pay prizes where doing so is prohibited by law, including to persons or countries subject to U.S. sanctions.
6.7 Team Prizes
Team prizes are paid to one representative designated by the team. The team is responsible for dividing the prize among its members, and the IPA is not responsible for how a prize is shared once it has been paid.
6.8 Prize Adjustments
Where a breach of these Terms or the Format & Rules affected only part of a team’s or player’s results, for example where one team member is disqualified, we may reduce a prize rather than withhold it entirely, so that the outcome is fair to all participants.
6.9 Prize Funding
Prizes are funded by the IPA and its sponsors. If sponsor funding is delayed, reduced or withdrawn, or if the IPA must direct its funds to legal, regulatory or other essential obligations, prize payments may be postponed, adjusted or paused until those matters are resolved. We will keep winners informed and pay prizes as soon as we reasonably can.
7 Your Information, Publicity and Streaming
7.1 Registration Information
When registering, participants agree to provide accurate information:
- IPA: name, email, resume, university, graduation year, major, photo and hometown
- IPL and IPA Alumni: name, email, resume, university, graduation year and major
7.2 Display on Our Website
All registration information except your email and resume may be displayed on pokeripa.com, including after the season ends as part of the IPA’s historical record.
7.3 Sharing with Sponsors
Participants agree that their registration information, including their resume, may be shared with the sponsors of the Events, including for recruiting purposes.
7.4 Live Streaming and Recording
Any match in the Events may be recorded and live streamed on platforms such as YouTube and Twitch, and recordings may be shared after the match. By participating, you give the IPA permission to record and stream your participation, including your name, university, photo, table play and hands, and any audio or video feed you share during a match.
If you would prefer not to appear on camera or to have your full name shown during a broadcast, please let us know before the match and we will make reasonable efforts to accommodate you, for example by showing only your player name.
7.5 Publicity and Social Media
Participants grant the IPA and its sponsors permission to use their name, likeness, university, results, photos and recordings from the Events to promote the IPA and the Events, in any media and without compensation.
This includes posting content from the Events on our website and social media channels, such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. These posts may include your name, photo, likeness, university, hometown, major and graduation year, along with your results and highlights from your matches. This permission continues after the Event has ended. We will never post your email address or resume publicly. You may ask us to remove a social media post that features you, and we will do so where reasonably possible.
7.6 Data Collection
We collect personal data, match data and activity data from the Events to operate the Events, verify results and eligibility, and enforce these Terms. This includes reviewing gameplay records and technical information, such as device and connection data, to detect cheating and protect fair play. This data may be shared with our sponsors and with service providers who help us run the Events.
Where data protection law requires a legal basis for using your information, we rely on your consent, on what is necessary to run the Events you have entered, on our legitimate interest in operating and promoting the Events, and on our legal obligations, such as tax reporting.
7.7 International Transfers
The IPA is based in the United States. Your information may be transferred to, stored and processed in the United States and in other countries where our sponsors and service providers operate, which may have different data protection laws from your own. Where required, we take reasonable steps to protect your information when it is transferred.
7.8 Your Privacy Rights
Depending on where you live, including the United Kingdom, the European Union, Canada and Australia, you may have the right to access, correct or delete your personal information, to object to or restrict certain uses of it, and to withdraw your consent at any time. To make a request, please email [email protected]. Withdrawing consent does not affect uses made before you withdrew it, and we may keep results and standings as part of the IPA’s historical record.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact your local data protection authority, such as the Information Commissioner’s Office (UK), your national supervisory authority (EU), the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada or the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
7.9 Retention
We keep personal information only for as long as it is needed for the purposes described in these Terms, including the IPA’s historical record and our tax and legal obligations.
7.10 Communications
By registering for and taking part in the Events, participants agree to receive communications from the IPA about the Events, and to be contacted by our sponsors about recruiting opportunities related to the Events. You can unsubscribe from sponsor and promotional messages at any time by following the instructions in the message or by contacting us. Event-related messages, such as match schedules and prize notices, will continue while you take part.
8 Third-Party Platforms
8.1 Platforms We Use
Online matches are played on third-party platforms such as PokerNow and DonkHouse, or on a platform operated by the IPA, and broadcasts may use services such as YouTube and Twitch. Your use of these services is subject to their own terms and privacy policies, and the IPA is not responsible for their availability, performance or data practices.
9 Intellectual Property
9.1 IPA Trademarks and Content
INTERCOLLEGIATE POKER ASSOCIATION is a registered trademark (U.S. Reg. No. 6,350,357). The IPA’s names, logos and website content may not be used without our written permission.
9.2 University Names and Logos
University names and logos belong to their respective owners and are used only to identify participating teams. Unless stated otherwise, the Events are not sponsored, endorsed or administered by any university. If you represent a university and would like its name or logo removed or changed on our website, email [email protected] and we will make the change within 48 hours.
10 Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability
10.1 No Guarantees
The Events and our website are provided “as is”. We do not guarantee that they will be uninterrupted or error-free, and we are not responsible for technical failures, connection problems, platform outages or errors in scoring or records, although we will correct errors we become aware of.
10.2 Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, the IPA and its organizers, volunteers, sponsors are not liable for any indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages, or for any loss arising from your participation in the Events. Our total liability to you is limited to the value of any prize you are owed.
Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any liability that cannot be excluded or limited by law, including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud, or under consumer protection laws such as the UK Consumer Rights Act 2015 or the Australian Consumer Law.
10.3 Release and Indemnity
You release the IPA and its organizers, volunteers, sponsors from any claims arising from your participation in the Events, and you agree to indemnify them against claims arising from your breach of these Terms or your misconduct.
11 General
11.1 Cancellation and Changes to Events
We may cancel, suspend, postpone or change any Event at any time, including for reasons beyond our control.
11.2 Severability and Waiver
If any part of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the rest remains in effect. Our failure to enforce any provision is not a waiver of our right to do so later.
11.3 Entire Agreement
These Terms, together with the Format & Rules for each Event, are the entire agreement between you and the IPA regarding the Events.
11.4 Your Statutory Rights
If you live outside the United States, including in Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union or Australia, you may have rights under the mandatory laws of your country of residence. Nothing in these Terms affects those rights.
11.5 Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Connecticut, without regard to its conflict of law rules. Any dispute relating to the Events will be resolved in the state or federal courts located in Connecticut, except where the law of your country of residence gives you the right to bring proceedings elsewhere.
11.6 Contact
Questions about these Terms can be sent to [email protected].