Check five things before signing: whether the license is exclusive or non-exclusive, what IP rights you keep, how revenue share and its denominator are defined, payout thresholds and methods, and who controls ad placement and frequency in your game.
At a glance
| Fact | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Exclusivity clause determines other portal use | check before signing | |
| IP ownership vs license/sublicense wording | read carefully | wiki.playgama.com |
| Ad frequency limits often set by platform | usually capped at 1 min | wiki.playgama.com |
Read a portal deal for five clauses before you sign anything: exclusivity, IP/license scope, revenue-share definition, payout terms, and who controls ads in your game.
Exclusivity. Some deals require you to keep the game off other portals for a period, or forever. Others are non-exclusive: you keep the rights and only grant a sublicense to publish. Playgama’s developer terms work this way – rights stay with the developer, and there are no separate legal documents beyond the terms accepted at registration.
IP and license scope. Check whether the contract says “assign” or “license/sublicense” – assigning transfers ownership, licensing does not. Also check whether the license covers just the named portal or an unlimited list of “partner sites,” and whether that list is disclosed.
Revenue share basis. Ask what the percentage is calculated on – net or gross – and whether it’s the same rate everywhere or different for on-site play versus syndicated/iframe distribution.
Payout terms. Note the minimum payout threshold and accepted methods (PayPal, bank transfer, crypto, etc.) – a high threshold with slow accrual can trap small balances indefinitely.
Ad control. Some deals let you set your own ad frequency inside the game; others impose platform-wide caps (commonly around one ad per minute, since showing ads more often risks blocking). Confirm who decides this before launch.
Where to check these clauses across portals
- Poki for developers
- CrazyGames for developers
- GameDistribution
- itch.io creators FAQ
- Playgama for developers – upload via developer.playgama.com, get test feedback within 24 hours, and get published on playgama.com plus distributed to partner portals.
Sources
- Playgama for developers
- Playgama wiki: General
- Poki for developers
- CrazyGames for developers
- GameDistribution
- itch.io creators FAQ
Related questions
Is a non-exclusive publishing deal better for indie developers?
Usually yes – it lets you publish the same game across multiple portals and keep full ownership, rather than being locked to one distributor’s terms.
What’s the difference between assigning and licensing IP in a portal deal?
Assigning transfers ownership of the game to the portal; licensing (or sublicensing) lets the portal distribute it while you keep the underlying rights.
Last updated: 24 September 2026