Blog category
Stay-to-play
Hotel rules, rebates, exemptions and the laws and lawsuits around them.
3 of 22 posts
Is Stay-to-Play Legal? What the Bills, Lawsuits and Probes Say
As of October 14, 2026, we found no enacted U.S. state or federal law that bans stay-to-play, so tournaments can still require it. Bills are pending in New York, New Jersey and Congress, and federal lawsuits filed by parents are unresolved. This is a news summary, not legal advice.
How to Ask for a Stay-to-Play Exemption (With a Sample Email)
Ask in writing, before you book anything, and only for an exemption the event's rules actually describe. The most common published exemptions are living within a set distance of the venue, staying with local family or friends, and paying entirely with hotel points, and some events allow none of them.
Stay-to-Play Rebates Explained: Who Gets Paid When You Book the Block
A stay-to-play rebate is money a hotel pays back to a tournament (or its housing partner) for rooms booked through the official block. Organizers say it offsets event costs and keeps entry fees down, and some publish the rebate on their own hotel pages.
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