Terms of Service

1. Overview and Nature of the Platform

Merit Gaming is operated by The Vision Centre LLC, doing business as "Merit Gaming" ("Merit Gaming," "Merit," "we," "us," or "our"). Merit Gaming is a skill-based competition platform where users compete head-to-head in games of skill using virtual currency.

Merit Coins are used to enter skill-based competitions. Merit Diamonds are used to purchase in-app items such as shields, cosmetics, and other platform features. Both are virtual currencies with no cash value and cannot be redeemed for real money. No real money is wagered in the current Platform, and no real money prizes are currently offered. Outcomes are determined entirely by player skill, strategy, decision-making, timing, and in-game performance.

Merit does not operate a gambling service. Games are selected for competition because skill is the predominant factor in determining outcomes. Merit does not determine winners by random drawing, lottery, sweepstakes, casino-style odds, or chance-based selection.

2. Eligibility

To create an account and use the Platform, you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age (or the age of majority in your jurisdiction, if higher)
• Be a human individual — no bots, automated accounts, or corporate accounts
• Agree to and comply with these Terms of Service
• Not have a previously terminated account on the Platform

By creating an account, you represent and warrant that you meet all eligibility requirements above. We reserve the right to verify your eligibility and to suspend or terminate your account if you do not qualify.

Geographic restrictions on real-money competition will apply when that feature launches. The current virtual currency experience is available to all eligible users in the United States.

3. Account Registration and Security

3.1 Registration

To use the Platform, you must create an account by providing a valid email address, a username, and your date of birth. You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information and to keep your account information updated. Providing false information, including a false date of birth, is a violation of these Terms.

3.2 One Account Per Person

You may maintain only one account on the Platform. Creating multiple accounts to circumvent restrictions, exploit bonuses, manipulate matchmaking, inflate ratings, or for any other reason is strictly prohibited. All accounts found to be associated with a multi-account violation may be permanently banned and any virtual currency balances forfeited.

3.3 Account Security

You are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. You agree to:

• Use a strong, unique password for your account
• Notify us immediately at support@joinmeritgaming.com if you suspect unauthorized access to your account

We are not liable for any losses arising from unauthorized access to your account resulting from your failure to safeguard your credentials.

4. Virtual Currency — Merit Coins and Merit Diamonds

4.1 What Virtual Currency Is

Merit Gaming offers two types of in-app virtual currency: Merit Coins and Merit Diamonds (collectively, "Virtual Currency"). Merit Coins are used to enter skill-based competitions. Merit Diamonds are used to purchase in-app items such as shields, cosmetics, and other platform features. Both are virtual currencies with no cash value and cannot be redeemed for real money.

Virtual Currency is a limited license to use certain features of the Platform. Virtual Currency is not real money, does not constitute property, and has no monetary value outside the Platform.

4.2 No Cash Value — Important

Virtual Currency has no cash value. You cannot:

• Redeem Virtual Currency for real money or any cash equivalent
• Transfer Virtual Currency to any other user or account
• Sell, trade, or exchange Virtual Currency outside the Platform
• Use Virtual Currency to win real money prizes (in the current version of the Platform)

Any attempt to sell, trade, or exchange Virtual Currency outside the Platform is a violation of these Terms and voids any license granted to you for that Virtual Currency.

4.3 Purchasing Virtual Currency

You may acquire Virtual Currency through in-app purchases processed by Apple (via Apple In-App Purchase), through promotional grants, competition rewards, or other methods made available by Merit Gaming from time to time.

All purchases of Virtual Currency are processed by Apple and are subject to Apple's payment terms and refund policies. Merit Gaming does not process or store your payment card information. For billing disputes related to in-app purchases, please contact Apple Support.

4.4 All Purchases Are Final

All purchases of Virtual Currency are final and non-refundable, except as required by applicable law or Apple's refund policies. We do not offer refunds for Virtual Currency that has been used to enter competitions or otherwise consumed on the Platform.

4.5 No Expiration (Current Policy)

Virtual Currency currently does not expire. However, we reserve the right to implement expiration policies for unused Virtual Currency with at least 30 days' prior notice.

4.6 Account Closure and Virtual Currency

Upon account closure or termination, all remaining Virtual Currency is forfeited. Virtual Currency has no cash value and will not be compensated upon account closure, except as required by applicable law.

5. Skill-Based Competition Rules

5.1 How Competitions Work

Players select an available entry tier (denominated in Virtual Currency) and enter a matchmaking queue. When two eligible players are matched, each player's entry is locked for that contest before gameplay begins. Upon conclusion of the contest, the winner receives the applicable Virtual Currency prize according to the contest rules displayed before entry.

Merit does not determine winners by random drawing, lottery, or chance-based selection. All contest outcomes are determined by player skill and in-game performance.

5.2 Entry Costs and Prize Structure

The Virtual Currency entry cost and corresponding prize structure for each competition are displayed before you confirm entry. By confirming entry, you authorize the applicable Virtual Currency deduction from your balance.

Merit reserves the right to adjust competition entry costs, prize structures, and available contest types at any time. Any applicable costs will be disclosed before you enter a competition.

5.3 Match Result Finality

All contest results are determined and recorded by Merit's servers. Our server-side records are the authoritative source for match outcomes, scoring, timing, and prize determinations. Client-reported results are not independently sufficient to determine outcomes.

Match results, once recorded, are final, subject to the dispute process in Section 11 and Merit's right to correct errors, investigate suspicious activity, or void contests where required.

5.4 Disconnection and Abandonment

Players are responsible for maintaining a stable internet connection and functioning device during competitions. If a player disconnects from an active contest and does not reconnect within the permitted reconnection window, that player may be deemed to have forfeited the contest and their entry will not be returned.

If both players disconnect simultaneously, or if Merit's servers experience a failure, Merit may void the contest, return entry amounts, or take another action Merit determines to be fair and appropriate.

5.5 Stalling and Time Limits

Competitions may include game clocks, move timers, or other timing mechanisms. Running out of time may constitute a forfeit under the applicable game rules. Deliberate stalling, exploiting timers, or intentionally manipulating contest timing is prohibited and may result in account suspension.

6. Anti-Cheat and Fair Play Policy

6.1 Prohibited Conduct

The integrity of skill-based competition is fundamental to the Platform. The following conduct is strictly prohibited:

• Using any external software, AI engine, computer assistance, or tool to aid gameplay (e.g., using a bot or solver to make your moves)
• Using autoclicker software, macros, or hardware that automates inputs
• Deliberately losing contests (sandbagging) to manipulate skill ratings or matchmaking
• Colluding with an opponent
• Creating multiple accounts (multi-accounting)
• Sharing your account with another person
• Exploiting bugs, glitches, or unintended mechanics in the Platform
• Intentionally stalling or manipulating game timing

6.2 Detection Methods

We use server-authoritative game state, statistical performance analysis, move timing analysis, behavioral signals, and device fingerprinting to detect prohibited conduct. You consent to the collection of this gameplay data as described in our Privacy Policy.

6.3 Enforcement

Violations of this Section will result in the following tiered enforcement:

• First anomaly: In-app warning; match flagged for review
• Repeated anomalies or medium-confidence detection: Competition access suspended pending admin review
• Confirmed first-time violation: 30-day account suspension
• Confirmed repeat or severe violation: Permanent account ban and Virtual Currency balance forfeited

All enforcement decisions are made at our sole discretion. You may appeal a ban by contacting support@joinmeritgaming.com within 14 days of the enforcement action.

7. Responsible Gaming

Although the current Platform uses virtual currency only, we are committed to promoting healthy and responsible participation. We offer the following tools:

• Session limits: Limit the duration of individual play sessions
• Self-exclusion: Voluntarily restrict your access to competitions for a defined period

These controls are available in Settings > Responsible Gaming. We encourage you to use them if you feel your participation is becoming problematic.

When real-money competition features launch, additional responsible gaming controls — including deposit limits and extended self-exclusion options — will be introduced and will apply to those features.

If you believe you may have a problem with compulsive gaming, please contact the National Council on Problem Gaming helpline: 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537), or visit ncpgambling.org.

8. Prohibited Uses

In addition to the anti-cheat prohibitions in Section 6, the following uses of the Platform are prohibited:

• Attempting to sell, trade, or exchange Virtual Currency for real money or items of real-world value outside the Platform
• Using the Platform to facilitate any illegal activity
• Reverse-engineering, decompiling, or attempting to extract the Platform's source code or underlying systems
• Harassing, threatening, or abusing other users
• Posting or transmitting any offensive, defamatory, or unlawful content
• Using the Platform for any commercial purpose without our prior written consent
• Attempting to gain unauthorized access to any part of the Platform, its servers, or its infrastructure
• Using bots, scrapers, or automated tools to interact with the Platform

9. Coming Soon — Real-Money Skill Competitions

Merit Gaming intends to introduce optional real-money skill-based contest features in a future update. When these features launch, they will be governed by a separate set of terms and conditions or an addendum to these Terms, and will be subject to additional requirements including:

• Identity verification (KYC) — including government-issued ID and date-of-birth confirmation
• Age verification confirming you are 18 years of age or older
• State-of-residence verification to confirm eligibility under applicable law
• IRS tax reporting requirements (Form 1099-K for net winnings of $600 or more per calendar year)
• Geographic restrictions — certain U.S. states prohibit or restrict real-money skill contest platforms

Participation in real-money competitions will be entirely optional. Users who do not wish to participate in real-money features will be able to continue using the Platform's virtual currency experience.

Merit Gaming does not guarantee the timeline for real-money feature availability, and reserves the right to modify, delay, or cancel these planned features at any time. The availability of real-money features will depend on applicable legal requirements, regulatory developments, and platform readiness.

Nothing in this Section constitutes a binding commitment to offer real-money competitions or to make them available in any particular jurisdiction or timeframe.

10. Intellectual Property

All content on the Platform — including game designs, graphics, software, user interface elements, logos, Virtual Currency designs, and the Merit Gaming name and mark — is owned by or licensed to The Vision Centre LLC and is protected by applicable copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use the Platform for personal, non-commercial purposes in accordance with these Terms. You may not copy, modify, distribute, sell, or create derivative works from any Platform content without our express written permission.

11. Match Disputes and Review

If you believe a match result was recorded incorrectly due to a technical error, you may submit a dispute within 48 hours of the match conclusion by contacting support@joinmeritgaming.com with your username and match ID.

We will review the dispute and issue a resolution within 72 hours. Our determination is final and binding, subject to the arbitration process in Section 15. Disputes based solely on disagreement with a legitimately recorded game outcome will not be considered.

12. Disclaimers

THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.

We do not warrant that the Platform will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of harmful components. We do not guarantee any particular competition outcome. We are not responsible for internet connectivity issues, device failures, or third-party service outages that affect your ability to use the Platform.

Virtual Currency has no cash value. We make no representation that Virtual Currency will retain any particular utility or availability within the Platform in the future.

13. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, OUR TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THESE TERMS OR THE PLATFORM SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF: (A) THE TOTAL AMOUNT YOU PAID TO THE PLATFORM IN THE 90 DAYS PRECEDING THE CLAIM, OR (B) $50.

IN NO EVENT SHALL WE BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, VIRTUAL CURRENCY, OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages, so the above limitation may not apply to you.

14. Account Termination

14.1 Termination by You

You may close your account at any time by contacting support@joinmeritgaming.com or using the delete account option in app settings. Upon account closure, any remaining Virtual Currency balance is forfeited. Virtual Currency has no cash value and will not be compensated upon account closure.

14.2 Termination by Us

We reserve the right to suspend or permanently terminate your account at any time, with or without notice, for any violation of these Terms or at our sole discretion for conduct we determine to be harmful to the Platform or its users. In the event of a ban for a Terms violation, any remaining Virtual Currency balance may be forfeited.

15. Binding Arbitration and Class Action Waiver

15.1 Informal Resolution First

Before initiating arbitration, you agree to contact us at support@joinmeritgaming.com and describe your dispute. We will attempt to resolve the dispute informally within 30 days. If we cannot reach a resolution, either party may proceed to arbitration.

15.2 Binding Arbitration

Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Platform that is not resolved informally shall be resolved exclusively through binding individual arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules. Arbitration shall take place in the state of Maryland, unless we agree otherwise. The arbitrator's decision shall be final and binding.

15.3 Class Action Waiver

YOU AND WE EACH AGREE THAT CLAIMS MAY ONLY BE BROUGHT IN AN INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS, COLLECTIVE, OR REPRESENTATIVE ACTION. The arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person's claims.

15.4 Exceptions

Either party may seek emergency injunctive relief in a court of competent jurisdiction to prevent irreparable harm pending arbitration. Claims relating to intellectual property infringement are also excluded from mandatory arbitration.

15.5 Opt-Out

You may opt out of this arbitration agreement by sending written notice to support@joinmeritgaming.com within 30 days of first accepting these Terms. Opting out does not affect any other provision of these Terms.

16. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Maryland, without regard to its conflict of law principles, except to the extent federal law applies.

17. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. When we make material changes, we will notify you via in-app notification and/or email at least 14 days before the changes take effect. Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date of updated Terms constitutes your acceptance.

If you do not agree with updated Terms, you must stop using the Platform and close your account before the new Terms take effect.

18. Miscellaneous

• Entire Agreement: These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and us regarding the Platform.
• Severability: If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue in full force and effect.
• Waiver: Our failure to enforce any right or provision shall not constitute a waiver of that right or provision.
• Assignment: You may not assign your rights or obligations under these Terms. We may assign our rights to a successor entity with notice to you.
• No Third-Party Beneficiaries: These Terms do not create any third-party beneficiary rights.
• Force Majeure: We are not liable for delays or failures resulting from events beyond our reasonable control, including natural disasters, government actions, or third-party service failures.
• Apple: Apple Inc. is not a party to these Terms and is not responsible for the Platform or its content. Apple has no obligation to provide support for the Platform.

19. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us:

We will respond to all inquiries within 30 business days.