Policies

Participation Points Policy

Updated: 3 June 2026

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish consistent and transparent rules for the administration of participation points held on player accounts by StepBridge Australia Bridge Club Inc. (“the Club”).

This policy sets out the rules for the purchase, use, refund, transfer, and forfeiture of participation points, including the treatment of unused participation points where a player’s membership has ceased and the balance remains inactive.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all players and members of the Club who purchase, hold, or use participation points.

This policy applies to participation points purchased prior to and after the effective date, unless otherwise determined by the Committee.

3. Definitions

Participation Points means prepaid points purchased by a player and held by the Club on the player’s account for use toward eligible Club tournaments and events.

Points Balance means the unused participation points remaining on a player’s account.

Account Activity / Movement means any change to a participation points account, including purchases, deductions, adjustments, transfers, or refunds.

Inactive Balance means a participation points balance meeting the criteria in clause 10.

4. Purchase and Holding of Participation Points

Participation points shall be prepaid by players in accordance with Club requirements.

Participation points shall be recorded and held on the player’s account as a prepaid credit.

5. Use of Participation Points

Participation points shall be deducted when a player participates in a tournament requiring points.

6. Requests for Balance Information

A player may request confirmation of their participation points balance.

7. Refunds of Unused Participation Points

A player whose membership has ceased may request a refund of unused participation points.

Refunds shall be requested in writing and verified against Club records.

An administration fee of $10 shall be deducted from any refunded participation points balance.

8. Transfers of Participation Points

A player may request that unused participation points held on their account be transferred to another player, subject to approval by the Committee or a delegated officer.

All transfer requests must be made in writing and clearly identify the transferring player, the receiving player, and the number of participation points to be transferred.

A transfer may only be processed where the Club is satisfied the request is genuine and the transferring player has a sufficient points balance.

An administration fee of $10 shall apply to each participation points transfer request and will be deducted from the transferring player’s participation points balance (or otherwise paid as the Club determines).

Once processed, participation points transfers are non-reversible except at the discretion of the Committee.

9. Use of Participation Points for Membership Payment

A player may request that participation points be applied toward payment of Club membership fees, subject to approval by the Committee or a delegated officer.

An administration fee of $10 shall apply to each request to use participation points for membership payment and will be deducted from the player’s participation points balance (or otherwise paid as the Club determines).

Once processed, the deduction of participation points for membership payment is non-reversible except at the discretion of the Committee.

10. Deceased Players

Refunds may be made to the estate of a deceased player upon request by an authorised representative.

11. Inactive Balances (Two-Year Rule)

A participation points balance shall be deemed inactive where the player is no longer a member and there has been no account activity for two (2) years.

12. Forfeiture of Inactive Balances

Inactive balances shall be forfeited and transferred into Club funds.

13. Committee Discretion

The Committee may approve exceptions in exceptional circumstances.

14. Records and Review

This policy shall be reviewed annually by the Committee.

Players aged 90 years and older

Dated: 20 November 2023

For all players aged 90 years and older, and have been members of StepBridge for over 3 years, StepBridge offers the following:

• Waive the yearly membership fee (for both Home & Associate members)
• Free games, in the form of free credit of participation points as required
• Refund of existing participation points

StepBridge will contact all eligible members on a monthly basis, requesting bank account details for refund and advising players to contact support@stepbridge.com.au when a top-up of participation points is required, specifying “VIP PP Top-up” in the subject line.

Youth players

Dated: 13 December 2021

For all youth players under 25 years old, who are registered with the ABF Youth Club, StepBridge offers the following:

• 1000 PPs as their welcome to StepBridge, instead of the usual 325 PPs
• Waive the yearly $10 StepBridge membership
• Match Participation Point purchases, thus giving these players half price table fees

To take advantage of these offers, please email support@stepbridge.com.au after you have received your username and password.