S.1593 – Small Business Liberation Act, which exempts small businesses from the April 2 round of tariffs.
H.R.2665 / S.1272 – Trade Review Act of 2025, which would restore Congressional oversight of tariff decisions and protect small and non-strategic businesses from broad trade actions

 Take Action

House & Senate Switchboard: (202) 224-3121

S.1593 – Small Business Liberation Act
H.R.2665 and S.1272 – Trade Review Act of 2025

COLUMBUS, OHIO – Applications open July 1st, 2024 for the GAMA Horizons Fellowship 2025, a program designed to promote new diverse and underrepresented publishers and retailers in the tabletop space. 

Now in its 4th cohort, the Horizons Fellowship is an initiative by GAMA’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee to develop a more diverse landscape in the tabletop gaming space by connecting qualified participants to professionals, mentors, and coaches as well as providing for exhibition space and travel stipends to attend both GAMA Expo 2025 and the Origins Game Fair 2025. 

ALL SELECTED FELLOWSHIP PARTICIPANTS WILL RECEIVE:

• 1-year complimentary membership in GAMA valued at $300

• A $1,000 grant for business or operational expenses.

• Travel Stipends and Lodging for GAMA Expo 2025 and Origins Game Fair 2025

• Booth opportunities at GAMA Expo 2022 and at Origins Game Fair 2025

• Complimentary retailer box following GAMA Expo 2022 for retailer participants.

• Virtual classes and panels featuring industry experts and leaders

Applications for the 2024-2025 cohort will open on July 1st and will close on July 22nd, with selected participants announced in September 2024. For full detail about the Fellowship, please visit https://www.gama.org/Horizons

QUOTE BANK 

“Our goal with the Horizons Fellowship is to create deep rooted connections between our participants, volunteers and alumni. What we’re building is a community - one built through education and influence. Slowly but surely, we’re changing the face of the tabletop industry by making it a more open and welcome place.”  

- Ray Chou, Horizons Fellowship Co-Chair & Horizons Fellowship Mentor 

"As the tabletop industry trade organization, GAMA is able to bring together experts from all parts of the industry to share their guidance, connections, and wealth of knowledge with the next generation of amazing industry professionals. We're so proud to be able to support such an incredible program!" 

-Matt Fantastic, GAMA Board Member & Horizons Fellowship Mentor

Women currently hold all four leadership roles for the first time in the organization’s history.
Nicole Brady is the newest president of the organization. She had served as the board’s treasurer since the end of 2022, after her election to the board earlier that same year.

Monica Rasso (Vice President), Garima Sharma (Treasurer) and Rhonda Becker (Secretary) join Brady on the central leadership team of the GAMA Board of Directors for the next year.

Brady spent her early career as an accountant, before entering the digital content landscape after becoming a mother. She founded SahmReviews.com, which she runs alongside her husband (and game designer), Scott Brady. The success of SAHM (Stay-At-Home-Mom) Reviews opened opportunities for Brady to work with agencies and major corporations, from Disney to Netflix and several in between.

She meshed her skills in the online arena with her family’s love of board games which put the wheels in motion for her presence in the tabletop industry. Her knowledge of modern digital marketing tactics allowed her to bring an even greater understanding of successful business practices into the tabletop space, where she had begun volunteering her time.

Now, having spent over a decade in tabletop games, she has migrated her full attention into what started out as a passion project.

“As someone who started outside the industry, I feel I bring a fresh perspective and representation to many,” Brady said. I have a GAMA Media & Events membership for SAHM Reviews, I am married to an award-winning designer, and I am an investor in the publishing
company, Play to Z. While I started outside the industry, I have spent more than a decade becoming more immersed in it and I am ready to lead.”

Rasso, the CEO of Meeples at Sea, and part-owner of TantrumCon, Proto ATL and Game & Party Con, previously served as the Board’s Secretary.

She also works as an independent consultant for conventions in the gaming industry, as her professional background includes audit and investigation work in the corporate world.

As Vice President of the Board of Directors, Rasso will oversee the routine GAMA audit this year and advise on Board Standard Operating Procedures.

Rasso was the first Director elected to the Board in the new Media & Events membership group in 2021. She has seen significant growth in the organization since the voice of four new groups of game industry professionals has been added to GAMA.

“I started in the industry as a volunteer at gaming conventions,” Rasso said. “I am passionate about volunteer programs and showing gratitude to these important members of the gaming community.”

Rasso has seen significant growth in the organization since the broadening of the membership.

“As a newly elected director in 2021, I had a seat at the table, but we lacked significant diversity,” Rasso said. “We had just launched several initiatives that year under the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion program, focused on outreach and mentorship for people from underrepresented and marginalized communities. Over the past three years, GAMA has really strengthened and encouraged the growth of these programs.”

Sharma, who is currently Vice President of Licensing and Partnerships at Skybound Entertainment, started her career as a journalist. During those years, she held senior positions at two of the biggest media houses in India and her work spanned projects across print and digital media, where she played an integral role in defining and executing content and monetization strategies for hybrid media products.

When she moved to the US, she used her journalism experience as a foundation to create direct-to-consumer strategies that speak directly to fandoms. Sharma’s work across Kickstarters, tabletop gaming, merchandise and licensing has been featured in publications such as The Hollywood Reporter, Polygon, Variety, etc.

Sharma, a frequent guest lecturer at Boston University, guides entrepreneurs and outside-the-box thinkers in identifying and fulfilling their potential.

“I am deeply honored to be elected as Treasurer for GAMA, an organization that works tirelessly for the tabletop gaming community,” Sharma said. “As we embark on this new
chapter together, I am eager to lend my voice and represent the diverse perspectives of publishers at this table of respected industry professionals.”

She looks forward to helping guide the next chapter of GAMA.

“My two commitments are to amplify diverse perspectives and secondly, to prioritize data sharing that can help chart a course towards industry-wide growth,” Sharma said.

Becker, like Brady and Rasso, also has officer experience within the organization. She had previously served as the GAMA's vice president.

She entered the tabletop space in 2003 as a new retailer, and attended GAMA Expo in 2004, one of GAMA’s flagship events and a cornerstone of peer-to-peer training and education within the industry.

Becker has seen the value of GAMA firsthand and intends on bringing those same benefits to the next wave of tabletop companies.

“Since our first trade show in 2004, our store has grown, survived and thrived,” Becker said. “We have collaborated, mentored and guided and I am proud to be in a position where I feel I can give back a portion of what has been given to me over the years by others.”

Having been a part of tabletop for over two decades, Becker is quick to point out the steps forward she has seen in the industry.

“I am proud of the changes I've seen in this industry so far and in this organization specifically,” Becker said. “I'm even more proud to be selected by my peers to help guide that growth in our industry.”

All four officers are quick to mention more went into this historic moment than just one election.

“These four individual women did not achieve this alone, Brady said. “It was created by the current board of directors with the support and encouragement of past board members.”

“We represent an ever-changing industry, which welcomes diversity in our leaders, whether serving as CEO of a company or as a member of the GAMA Board,” Rasso added. “It’s important to celebrate this historic moment for GAMA and gaming, as recognition of the changing faces and voices of leadership.”

In the same way that a Site Selection Committee is currently being formed for the upcoming contract set to begin in 2027, the decision to move to Louisville was made in 2019. That Site Selection Committee weighed many factors, including concerns about Kentucky’s legislative stances regarding human and civil rights. They had a discussion with representatives from The Galt House, The Kentucky International Convention Center, and Louisville Tourism regarding the latter. The Louisville team emphasized that they are passionate about their location being a progressive city and that the money GAMA Expo would bring to their properties and the city would help their efforts in being an example of inclusivity for the state. All factors were considered, and the contract was signed.

Following the passage of recent legislation and the closure of our final event in Reno, members reached out both publicly and privately to staff as well as to the Board of Directors. As an organization, it is our duty to consider our options when members voice concerns. Thus, the Board directed the Executive Director to research the possibility of canceling the Louisville contract. The Executive Director returned with a breakdown of the penalties not only for one year but the attrition as the contract progressed. It would cost GAMA an estimated $1,822,716 to cover the cancellation of the three-year agreement, which is not financially feasible. That degree of monetary outlay would have a lethal impact on the organization.
After analysis of fiscal limitations to canceling the 2024-2026 agreement, the decision was made by the Executive Director to move forward with our existing contract while expediting approval of the Site Selection Committee to research future locations. The safety of our membership and guests is extremely important, so the Executive Director has informed the Board that the operations team will be seeking options for safety protocols and will review those with the Board of Directors as they develop. An example of such measures will be a shuttle service between the airport and the Galt House / The Kentucky International Convention Center.

It does not address the immediate concerns, but GAMA plans on following the new recommendation of the American Society of Association Executives to include cancellation clauses in future contracts. These clauses may be based on regions enacting laws violating the basic human rights of their citizens.

While the Board of Directors is responsible for strategic planning and the Operations staff is tasked with implementation and execution, it is vital that members continue to voice their thoughts and concerns at events, meetings, and via online communication channels. Thank you to everyone who continues to provide feedback to the organization so that leadership can best represent GAMA as a whole.

GAMA Board of Directors

Date: August 18, 2022

Contact: John.Stacy@gama.org

During today’s GAMA board of directors meeting, the following directors were elected as officers of the board:

Frank West, City of Games - President
Grace Collins, Snowbright Studios - Vice President
Stephan Brissaud, Funko Games - Treasurer 
Monica Meyer Rasso, Meeple at Sea - Secretary

The election was necessary as per our bylaws when there is a change in the composition of the board, a new officer office election must occur. The change was due to Kylie T Prymus stepping down from the board last month and Retail Officer John Coviello taking his place. 

Special thanks to director Jax Ward, Crazy Squirrel Games & Toys, who previously served as Secretary. While they will continue as part of the board, they had a leadership opportunity in their home community that sounds really cool. We appreciate their service as Secretary for the past few months. 

The board meets on the third Thursday of each month and members as encouraged to attend. Please check the Industry Calendar on GAMA's homepage for dates and signup information. 

What is GAMA’s role? As the non-profit trade organization dedicated to serving the hobby game industry, it is our goal to strengthen and support all fellow industry professionals, encouraging the sharing of best practices and resources. While many of our industry professionals are making decisions that affect them financially, it is also important to acknowledge that this war reaches us on a personal level as well as professionally.  

What are some GAMA resources that can help keep me informed?

To sum up what is happening in regards to this war to affect GAMA companies, Russian sanctions have caused our members to make some difficult business decisions. The choices over the next few months will become even more complex as we adjust to the ripples of effects from the conflict. GAMA brought experts to the virtual table last week to discuss the potential implications to our industry. This panel includes an amazing grouping of individuals with first-hand knowledge: 

• Maxim Istomin of CrowD Games, a Russian-American publisher and distributor, as well as attorney in both countries
• Dr. Laszlo Korossy, adjunct professor of political science at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County.  
• Alex Schmidt, Director of Sales for Stonemaier Games, a top 3 industry volume board game producer with global distribution. 

Please take time to view the entire informative discussion here: http://ow.ly/WGiT50IaRMS

Responding as an Association 

We plan to keep the discussion going and to support our members. Our next webinar will be on March 31, 2022, including the same experts as last week. That link will become available as the date is closer.

How can I help?   

GAMA Member and Poland-headquartered company, Lucky Duck Games, has created a fundraiser. They are matching all funds donated to UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) through this link (up to $12k):  

https://fundraise-for-refugees.funraise.org/team/lucky-duck-games?fbclid=IwAR0CDSExn4VjEBvxYJFTOYjkq7FCye1m6dRHSYYgiNP9jt-QTbCVcXotdcE 

Here is a link to other organizations that are raising funds to support the injured and displaced citizens. We encourage our member organizations to thoroughly research all organizations that they choose to support.  

https://www.npr.org/2022/02/25/1082992947/ukraine-support-help 

What if I need help? 

Please let us know if your company is in need of assistance during this time. If the need is great, we would be glad to host a Spatial Chat in which business leaders in our community can connect with those in need to provide advice on making it through this crisis in your business. If you are personally struggling with the emotional aspects, leading to life-interrupting anxiety or depression, we strongly encourage you to get professional help through online counseling companies such as Better Help or Talk Space. 

We do not tolerate harassment of convention participants in any form. Convention participants reported or caught violating this policy may be expelled without refund at the discretion of show management.

“Harassment is any unwanted contact, which includes (but is not limited to): physical or verbal threats; unwelcome attention; stalking; unwanted photography or recording; offensive behavior; use of physical force; behavior that creates a disturbance or is dangerous; using sexually explicit or offensive language or conduct; excessive profanity; obscene gestures; use of racial, religious, sexual, political, gender, ability, ethnic slurs, or any other targeted comments which are intended to cause personal offense to another Origins participant, either in-person at the event or through social media channels."

Based on numerous instances brought to the attention of the GAMA organization, including on the GAMA Member Facebook page, the Board has determined that the actions of both Jeff Bergren and TGG-Games is in violation of this code of conduct and they have been expelled from the show as an exhibitor.

Game Manufacturers Association

258 East Campus View Blvd

Columbus, OH 43235

(614) 255-4500 x101  |  www.gama.org

GAMA ANNOUCES RESULTS OF SPECIAL BOARD ELECTION

(Sept 16, 2021) – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GAMA today announced the results of the Special Election to fill vacancies on its board of directors because of the adoption of its new bylaws which created six voting membership groups (creators/creatives, media & events, production, publishers, retailers, and wholesale). Under the new structure each membership group will have two representatives on the board, with the twelve directors in turn selecting their own officers (President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary).  As part of the transition plan, six directors were elected during this round, with the remaining six to be elected prior to the GAMA EXPO in March 2022. The newly elected directors take office during the September 26 board meeting. Below are the results from each membership group:

• Monthly one-on-one coaching sessions with dedicated mentors and peer coaches to be scheduled at participants’ convenience as well as virtual group workshops.
• 1-year complimentary membership in GAMA valued at $300
• A $1,000 grant for business or operational expenses.
• Free admission to GAMA Expo 2022 with complimentary hotel stay.
• Complimentary exhibit hall space at GAMA Expo 2022 for publisher participants with access to hundreds of retailers from the US, Canada, and other countries.
• Complimentary retailer box following GAMA Expo 2022 for retailer participants.
• Reimbursement of up to $1,000 in travel related expenses for GAMA Expo 2022 (i.e., airline/train tickets, mileage reimbursement, taxi/ride share transfers, meals).

Additionally, upon completion of the Fellowship, one publisher and one retailer Fellow will be selected to each receive a $5,000 grant to help create, maintain, or grow their respective businesses. To be considered, Fellows will submit a personal statement explaining why their business is the ideal candidate for this additional investment and how they would utilize the funds.

Applications for the 2021-2022 cohort will open on July 26 and will close on August 13, with selected participants announced in September 2021. For full detail about the Fellowship, please visit https://www.gama.org/page/Horizons

July 2, 2021

Contact: John Stacy, john.stacy@gama.org

Dear GAMA members,

We are living a historical moment in GAMA’s 44 years of existence. Thank you for your trust and support.

Today, propelled by the Board of Director’s initiative to embrace our values of inclusivity and acceptance and following our motto: “A game on every table, a table for everyone,” you have expressed your support to invite ALL actors of the game industry to our table -- I thank you for that.

Of the votes, 93% were to accept this bylaw revision proposal – higher than I anticipated. It is extremely encouraging for the future of the association and the industry in general.

The outcome of this vote is a great success, but a lot of work us still ahead of us. We will first need to implement and structure the six new voting membership groups (Creators, Media & Events, Production, Publishers, Retailers and Wholesalers) and have each of them elect one Director-At-Large to represent them on the Board of Directors.

I know the road ahead of us is paved with challenges (I am looking at you, inflation on freight costs), but we will tackle them all together as one.

At the eve of Independence Day, I want to wish each and every one of you a wonderful Fourth of July weekend, whether you go enjoy the Great Outdoors, or stay inside to play your favorite games.

Be excellent to each other, 

Stephan Brissaud

GAMA President

###

The new amended bylaws are available on GAMA’s website at: https://www.gama.org/page/governing-documents

Bayard Rustin - Photo Credit: AP. 

President Joe Biden signed a bill into law commemorating June 19 (commonly called Juneteenth), which marks the end of chattel slavery in the U.S., as a federal holiday.

Just as the Pride flag received a very welcome update, we wanted to highlight both events this week as both Pride and Juneteenth are about acceptance and affirmation.

But we are not making this statement because the Pride flag was changed or because a Juneteenth holiday was announced. We are making it because these two movements have been synced since before the Stonewall riots; the March on Washington happened in 1963, and just a few short years later black drag queens were amongst the first to start the Stonewall riots in 1969.

One example of the unity of these movements is Bayard Rustin (1912-1987), an amazing individual that we'd like to take some time to recognize today for his work and his example.

Famous for being one of the most prominent advisers of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement, Rustin fought all his life for the rights of African American people, but also for the betterment of American society.

Before his involvement in the March on Washington for jobs and freedom, he travelled across the U.S. to not only protect and defend the Black minorities, but also to help protect the properties of more than 120,000 Asian people (most of them U.S. Citizens) imprisoned in internment camps during the Second World War. 

Rustin was also openly gay when being so was illegal, landing him in jail. He saw his coming out as an act of honesty and education to people and their children to fight prejudice by preventing prejudice from happening. He was a Gay rights activist until the end of his life in the 1980’s.

For Rustin, it was natural to reach out and network with everyone for a better society - he worked with religious organisations (he was Quaker), political parties (helping to build the American doctrine of Social-Democracy), and white Unions. A Pacifist, he also protested the wars waged by his country and the treatment of Jews by the USSR, as it reminded him of the segregation he himself had experienced.

He was posthumously inducted to the Legacy Walk and awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

To know more about Bayard Rustin, please click here. 

As we build a world geared toward freedom and justice for ALL, we empower other to take a stand when faced with opposition to push us forward, step by step, towards that goal.

John Stacy - john.stacy@gama.org

Today marks one year since the murder of George Floyd. His death shed light on racial injustice and inequity in our society. We mourn his passing and honor his legacy with a day of reflection on the work to be done for fairness, equity, and justice for Black and marginalized people.

Over the past year GAMA has looked at our own structure, messaging, and programs to make sure we’re doing our part to become a more inclusive and diverse organization. While we’ve made some progress, we know that there is still much to be done. We welcome input, suggestions, and accountability on this journey to create a new GAMA that is more reflective and representative of our industry.

For more information on this effort, please visit the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion page on our website: https://www.gama.org/page/DEI.

###

Retailers can use the catalog to find products to stock in their store and access important game information such as weight, dimensions, stock images, sell sheets, demo videos, organized play information, etc. In addition, there are purchase links to the distributors that stock the game and to the publisher’s website if they sell direct to retailers. Retailers can create lists of titles that they want to stock and export that information to a file that can be imported into their Shopify POS, simplifying their operations so that they can focus on selling more games.

As a service to the industry, TGI is free for retail stores to use - basic product listings are also provided free to GAMA publisher members. While the system is preloaded with information on more than 100,000 product titles, publishers can verify and edit their publisher and product pages at no additional cost (other than being a GAMA member). And if a publisher is not currently a GAMA member, they can join on TGI in just a few minutes.

For those publishers that wish to provide additional resources to help retailers sell their games, we have the PRO and Enterprise Levels for publishers to add sell sheets, custom video links, stock images, organized play info, and enhanced advertising options. TGI offers an API interface making editing and updating product listings simple and quick.

Click here for more information on TGI. If you have feedback or suggestions on how we can improve this member service, please email john.stacy@gama.org. 

Many churches, community organizations and events have suspended in person programs to help reduce the spread of the virus. The suspension of these vital support networks has left many feeling isolated and alone.

As we slowly emerge from the shadow of COVID-19, GAMA wants to support member companies and their employees by providing resources to help them deal with the life stressors that can easily engulf and overwhelm us. As such, we will be introducing several new initiatives in the coming weeks including:

• Implementation of an industry-wide Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that offers fast and confidential help 24/7 around life, health, financial, and work stress issues.
• A database of community resources that offer free or low-cost education or counseling services.
• Webinars and on-demand recordings on mental well-being, stress reduction, financial planning & money management, suicide prevention, etc.
• Peer-to-Peer mentorship program that pairs newer industry members with more seasoned mentors to provide advice or act as a sounding board for issues or questions.

Together we can work to address these issues and support each other for a stronger industry and community.

Regards,

John Stacy, Executive Director 

We welcome everyone to our table, and we mean it. 

As we reflect on the past year, GAMA is also proud of the work we have done internally while learning to pivot and provide the best educational opportunities, services, and online events to our members during these unprecedented times. Please see below for a look at our year in review.

Advocacy

• Lobbied for full funding of the United States Postal Service during the pandemic as an important lifeline for small businesses. Partnered with ASTRA and Toy Association on this initiative to engage members to join us in our lobbying efforts.
• Advocated for COVID Relief Legislation including the Paycheck Protection Act, Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the CARES Act, and the Employee Retention Credit for small businesses.
• Opposed Trump’s Tariffs - GAMA traveled to Washington to lobby the federal government against imposing tariffs on goods imported from China, created the Tariff Toolkit to educate members on how to contact their elected official to oppose Trump’s Tariff Taxes on small businesses.
• Spoke out against New York’s S. 501B which created an overly broad chemical disclosure program for children’s products and banned products containing chemicals arbitrarily selected as “dangerous”.
• Department of Labor Focus Groups – Met twice with representatives of the US. Department of Labor to discuss the impact the pandemic is having on members and urged the administration to work with congress to extend the Paycheck Protection Program to help our members.
• Fought against Counterfeit products – Advocated for Amazon to require seller's information disclosure rules to fight the sale of counterfeit products.

Education

• Education Advisory Committee - Made up of industry volunteers that are working on developing toolkits, white papers, and other educational resources for members.
• Around the Table – Quarterly magazine which features educational articles, best practices, and tips to be successful in this industry. Most content is created by members of the industry and we have created an Editorial Board to help curate content to ensure that we are seeking our diverse and reflective industry voices to be part of the magazine.
• GAMA’s On-Demand Webinar Platform – Created following the 2020 GAMA Expo. The platform now has more than 40 education programs that are free for members to access, with new content added each month.
• E-Commerce Track for GAMA Expo 2021 – This new track for next year’s Expo will help members develop skills to adapt to the online shopping demands of a COVID world.

Events/Networking

• GAMA Expo – GAMA’s annual B2B show that had more than 1,500 attendees, 180 exhibitors and more than 100-hours of educational and networking programing this year. Due to the pandemic, the 2021 show will be virtual but will still feature the exhibit hall, professional development seminars by your peers, Designer Speed Pitching, Game Nights, networking opportunities and the popular Retailer Appreciation Box.
• GAMA Spring Outdoor B2B Event (New for 2021) – Based on requests from members, we are exploring hosting an outdoor event in late May to provide an opportunity for members to come together to do business and network in a socially distanced and safe manner.
• Spielwarenmesse – In 2020 we partnered with the Nuremberg Toy Fair to offer complimentary badges for more than three dozen members that attended the show, where we hosted several networking events. Nuremberg organizers have already extended the comped badges offer to their July 20-24, 2021 show.
• Origins Game Fair (OGF) – Consumer show with 20,000+ attendees and nearly 6,000 games and events throughout the week. While OGF was cancelled due to the pandemic, we are hard at work planning the 2021 show. It will be a hybrid show with both in-person and livestreaming programming. OGF is an important selling and promotional opportunity for many of our members. All members receive two (2) complimentary badges for themselves or to give to their customers or prize support for giveaways.
• Friendly Local Game Store (FLGS) Day (New for 2021) – To support the sale of publisher member products in the retail channel, we are creating a new marketing program similar to Free Comic Book Day or Record Shop Day that will feature a nationwide marketing campaign to drive traffic to FLGS with special events, promotions and more. Additional details in the coming weeks.
• Black Friday Board Game Deals (New for 2021) – A cooperative marketing program to support publishers to promote and sell their games to consumers looking for Black Friday deals on tabletop games and accessories. We are seeking to create a Home Shopping Network for Board Games experience for consumers.
• European Outreach – From December 2019 to May 2020, GAMA employed a European contractor to connect and provide networking opportunities for our European members. As part of these outreach efforts, we researched new services to connect European members with the US marketplace and conventions, ways to connect them to U.S. retailers and explored combined shipping from China to save GAMA members money. While we made good progress on this initiative, demands of the pandemic made it difficult to properly support so it was shelved for the time being. GAMA is an international association with members in more than twenty countries; we will revisit this program when resources allow.
• ESSENtials Retailer Summit – This was our second year offering this program in conjunction with ESSEN Spiel to connect publishers and retailers. For 2020 we held a virtual version of the program with 28 publishers and 155 retailers from eight countries. Plans are already being made to expand the program for 2021.
• Winter Wishlist Retail Buying Guide / Summer Games Guide for Consumers – 120 publishers participated in the second year of this project to provide holiday and new titles for stores to stock for the 2020 holiday season. Publisher members receive a free listing in this buying guide. The guide was sent via email to more than 600 GAMA retailer members. Based on the success of our holiday buying guide, we are working to offer a summer games guide in 2021 for consumers to help promote publisher members products in the retail channel.
• FLGS Locator (New for 2020) – Created online directory to help consumers find friendly local game stores.
• A Game on Every Table (New for 2020) – Toys for Tots (T4T) game donation drive promotion. This project was created by our Market Expansion Committee to encourage consumers to purchase one game for themselves or as a gift at full retail price, purchase a second copy for 50% of MSRP and then donate that game to their local T4T program. More than twenty publishers and dozens of retailers are participating in this pilot program.
• Game Donation Program – In 2020 GAMA partnered with several Central Ohio nonprofit organizations including Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Kaleidoscope Youth Center and Columbus Urban League to donate hundreds of tabletop games to families in need. Not only was this a great way to support the local community, but it has also generated positive press for our industry and participating member companies.
  

Member Support Services

• COVID Resources – In the early days of the pandemic we jumped into action to create a suite of resources to support our members which included information on governmental support programs, HR guidelines for employers dealing with labor rules during the pandemic, a coordinated retailer support program from publishers, a new FLGS Store locator to help consumers find retail stores, Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) Policy Directory, and links to more than a dozen small business resources.
• Exclusive member discounts – We are constantly adding to our member savings program, including important business services for shipping, credit card processing, financial planning services, and a background check service for employees or convention staff. The list is available on our website under Business Services.
• GameManufacturersHealthcare.com – Partnered with a health insurance broker to offer the first industry wide health insurance program. It is a good back-up for the ACA, given the uncertainty of the program. Hopefully as more members join the program, our risk pool will grow, and rates will become more favorable.
• Member Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts – Earlier this year GAMA engaged in an important discussion regarding the diversity and inclusion of voices/perspectives at our table. GAMA hired an outside contractor to facilitate a series of meetings with members to discuss these important issues and craft recommendations on ways we can be more inclusive and reflective of our community. She helped create a series of recommendations we are working to implement. As a result, we have created several initiatives to help our organization be more reflective of the industry, as well as mindful in our role of providing a pathway for everyone in the industry to be successful:
• Diversity Committee (New for 2020) - Will be conducting a diversity audit of our programs and publications to ensure that we are not unconsciously biased or discriminating in our action, words, or programs. The committee will also make recommendations on other ways we can be more diverse and inclusive as an organization and industry.
• Around the Table Editorial Board (New for 2020) - This group of volunteers will help curate content to ensure that we are seeking diverse and reflective industry voices to be a part of our industry publication.
• Code of Conduct Committee (New for 2020) – The board has created a draft code of conduct and has charged the committee to create the implementation and enforcement mechanisms for the code that will be released in early 2021.
• Sexual Harassment Prevention– Partnered with experts from RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) to conduct a seminar on stopping sexual harassment in the workplace and at conventions. GAMA will be creating a workgroup in 2021 to develop educational programs for game convention organizers on this important issue. 
• Scholarship/Mentoring Program (New for 2021) – The board will be earmarking funding in our 2021 budget to support the creation of a new scholarship and mentoring program to ensure disenfranchised or underserved individuals are not overlooked and included in industry programs and events. The scholarships will financially assist those otherwise unable to participate in various industry events and programs. The mentorship program will connect those new to the industry to more veteran peers to help guide and answers questions regarding the association and the tabletop games industry.

• Academy, Origins Awards & Hall of Fame Review and Restructure Committee (New for 2020) – Exploring ways to increase the relevancy and representation of the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design, including the Origins Awards nominations, review and award ceremony and the Hall of Fame.
• Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design – The Origins Awards & Hall of Fame were created to recognize outstanding work in the tabletop game industry.
• Advocacy Committee (New for 2020) - Helps direct association government relations, advocacy, and lobbying efforts to support the hobby games industry. Potential issues the committee is tasked with include tariffs, customs/exportation, product labeling laws, Intellectual Property Rights, counterfeit product sales, etc.
• Audit Committee – Oversees the auditing of the Association’s finances.
• By-Law Reconciliation Committee - Reviews current organizational bylaws and provides recommendations to the board for presentation to the general membership for adoption.
• Diversity Committee (New for 2020) - Investigates how best to reach out to underrepresented communities within the game industry and to create pathways of success within the organization.
• Educational Advisory Committee - Work with GAMA staff to identify educational topics and opportunities to create a robust training program to assist retail stores, distributors, manufacturers, and designers in effectively operating in the hobby games industry.
• Market Expansion Committee – Researching the most effective and efficient marketing and outreach methods to (A) promote the play of tabletop games and (B) increase the number of people who regularly play games, and to make recommendations to the board for the deployment of association resources to implement these methods.
• Membership Committee - Reviews all new applications for Publishing/ Manufacturing membership and approve or deny membership based on the ability of the applicant to qualify for membership in the association. It will also review any disputes over other membership applications.
• Nominating Committee - Works with the association staff to organize and run the board elections during the Annual Membership Meeting.
• Trade Show Committee - Explores and recommend to the board of directors the location for future GAMA Expos and to be an advisory group to the staff regarding Expo programming.
  

Communications / Social Media

• Weekly E-Newsletter – An e-newsletter is sent out to membership every Tuesday that contains news surrounding GAMA activity including programming, education, events, and more.

• Monthly Staff Coffee – Monthly town hall via Zoom where members can talk one-on-one with the GAMA team to share ideas, questions, and concerns about how we can better serve our industry.
• Member’s Only Facebook and LinkedIn Pages – Forums where you can easily reach other members to engage in industry-related conversations throughout the year.
• FAQ Website Page – GAMA is working on a resource that will be housed on our website containing frequently asked questions by members. These questions with be gathered monthly through the member’s only Facebook page and during the Staff Coffee meetings.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE               The Game Manufacturer’s Association

To add your program to this document, please email media@gama.org.

Here is the offering of programs as of 06/01/20.
Click on the company's logo to be directed to their website.

Ad Astra Games [ Profit-sharing ]

Alderac Entertainment Group [ Direct Sales ] & [ Adjusted Release ] 1. AEG is setting up a direct sales channel that you can sign up for here. Retailers in the continental United States will be able to purchase AEG items at 50% off with a minimal ($5.00)

AMIGO Games [ Drop shipping ] & [ Direct Sales ]

Arcane Wonders [ Profit-sharing ]

Atlas Games [ Drop Shipping ]

BCW Supplies [ Direct Sales ]

Blue Orange Games [ Drop Shipping ]

Corvus Belli [ Adjusted Release ]

Czech Games Edition [ Free Product ]

Deep Water Games [ Profit-Sharing ] Offering 25% reimbursement if customers leave a note with their LGS’s contact info.

Devir Games [ Direct Sales ]

Dex Protection [ Profit-sharing ] Dex Protection would like to do whatever possible to help our loyal stores and partners. We wanted to come up with a way that our supporters could make money without having to spend any. We understand that most, if not all of us, have our doors closed, so we have come up with an affiliate program for you to share with your customers.

Dragon Shield [ Profit-Sharing ]

Drawlab Entertainment [ Profit-Sharing ] Donating 20% of all orders to FLGS if customers leave store name in order notes.

DUST USA [ Drop Shipping ] If you have a way to accept orders and payment by phone, using Square, Stripe, Paypal or other cash services like Zelle etc...

Fireside Games [ Profit-Sharing ] & [ Adjusted Release ]

Foam Brain Games [ Direct Sales ] 5% off in-stock & custom products. Check out our product starter sets for extra deals & margin.

Fog of Love [ Profit-Sharing ] Donating 20% of all orders to FLGS if a customer leaves store’s information in the notes section at check out.

Forbidden Games [ Profit-Sharing ] & [ Direct Sales ] 1. Donating 50% of their online consumer sales to FLGS when customers leave a comment mentioning their store name, city, and state. 2. 60% off msrp and free demo copy for any FLGS store that orders direct at glenn@forbidden.games.

Game Brewer [ Profit-Sharing ] & [ Direct Sales ]

Games Workshop [ Sales Program ]

Gate Keeper Games [ Profit-Sharing ] We're donating 15% of our online sales to the FLGS when customers leave a comment mentioning store name, city, and state.

Grand Gamers Guild [ Profit-Sharing ] We're donating 15% of our online sales to the FLGS when customers leave a comment mentioning store name, city, and state.

Gray Matters Games [ Drop Shipping ]

Greater Than Games [ Adjusted Release ] Suspended shipments until April 22 due to county-wide lockdown.

Greenbrier Games [ Profit-Sharing ] Any purchases made on our website over the foreseeable future will also go to your favorite

HABA USA [ Profit-Sharing ] & [ Direct Sales ]

Hub Games [ Profit-Sharing ] 'Visiting' game stores and hosting demos of games on Tabletop Simulator*. Participants will receive a code they can spend on our website with 40% of these sales going to their store.

Hunt A Killer [ Direct Sales ] We are an immersive murder mystery subscription game that is putting out our first retail game later this year.

IELLO USA [ Profit-Sharing ] & [ Adjusted Release ] 1. Splitting net profit with retailers mentioned on checkout screen of online orders. 2. King of Tokyo Dark Edition sellable on receipt.

InDiPro Games [ Direct Sales ] & [ Profit Sharing ] 1. We are working with our developers to offer an increase to the discount stores receive for many of our products.

Inside Up Games [ Profit-Sharing ]

Japanime Games [ Sales Program ] We're offering 10% of Retailer Wholesale orders with the code FLGSLOVE.

KTBG / Burnt Island Games [ Profit Sharing ] Donating 20% of net funds raised from their stores to any FLGS that is named in the comments of customers’ web purchases.

Level 99 Games [ Profit Sharing ]

Level Up Dice [ Direct Sales ]

Looney Labs [ Direct Sales ] & [ Adjusted Release ]

Luma Imports [ Adjusted Release ]

Magpie Games [ Profit-Sharing ] & [ Sales Program ]

Metallic Dice Games [ Profit-Sharing ] Donating 50% of their online sales to FLGS when customers leave a comment mentioning store, city, and state name.

Modiphius Entertainment [ Profit-Sharing ]

Pelgrane Press [ Profit-Sharing ] & [ Direct Sales ] & [ Adjusted Release ]

Portal Games [ Profit-Sharing ]

PvP Geeks [ Profit-Sharing ] Donating 50% of the order to a store mentioned in the order notes. The initiative lasts until May 1st and the transfer is done via PayPal after receiving an invoice from the store.

R&R Games [ Direct Sales ] & [ Profit-Sharing ] 1. For Retailers, any orders placed during this time will get 20% off.

Rather Dashing Games [ Retailer Discount ] 30% off all products through distribution.

Renegade Game Studios [ Adjusted Release ] Suspending shipments of website and wholesale orders. Renegade’s future release calendar is being reevaluated and we will be delaying new releases until our retail partners are back and able to open safely.

Sirius Dice [ Profit-Sharing ]

Smirk & Dagger [ Profit-Sharing ] Smirk and Dagger is extending our Retailer Relief efforts to include webstore purchases across our entire line. It generates a 25% donation to the store named by the consumer.

Steamforged Games [ Profit-Sharing ] Sign up to the FLGS affiliate support program on our webstore that pays the retailer 40% of the net sale. The customer also gets a 5% discount to help with shipping.

Tabletop Tycoon [ Complimentary Products ] Tabletop Tycoon is offering Local Store Recovery Packages to help local stores recover during this challenging time.

Van Ryder Games [ Profit-Sharing ] Donating a portion of the proceeds from their web sales to retailers specified by the customer during checkout. This is for any brick and mortar retailer and particularly those unable to be open due to the current events of the Pandemic.

VRGames / VR-Soft.com [ Direct Sales ] & [ Drop Shipping ]

White Wizard Games [ Profit-Sharing ]

Wizards of the Coast [ Profit-Sharing ]

WizKids [ Adjusted Release ]