Permited (and not permitted) exhibitors, sponsorship or marketing requests

UK Games Expo is a Tabletop Games convention. Our show profile is detailed on this page.

We will generally accept stand bookings, adverts, sponsorship and marketing package requests from companies that aim to promote Tabletop Games and related products to an interested audience. We are unlikely to accept applications from exhibitors who stray outside these areas.

Banned or Restricted Products

The following items are either banned or only permitted under certain restrictions.

Gambling and Financial Services

We will not accept requests to promote gambling sites or financial services.

Computer and Console Games

Computer Games and console games are not typically accepted as exhibitors unless they are exhibiting electronic versions of table top games such as mobile or tablet or pc versions or apps and programmes designed for use in and to enhance table top games - such as sound effect in roleplaying games, mapping software used in a game etc.

Food and Drink Vendors

Food and drink vendors are not typically accepted as exhibitors unless they are selling novelty items linked to the wider table top games theme or themes of geek fandom, sci-fi, history and fantasy. Any food sold must be packaged as gift items and clearly sold as not for consumption at the show Vendors selling alcohol must also undertake to operate a 'Challenge 25' policy. In all cases approval by NEC Catering will have to be sought by the show organisers.

General catering companies will not be accepted.

Weapons Policy

Exhibitors taking a trade stand may not bring stock of, display or sell any items which is defined as an offensive weapon under the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and the Offensive Weapons Act 2019. This includes any knife, axe or blade and any items adapted for the use of causing injury. It also includes live firearms, deactivated firearms, air rifles etc. Exhibitors carrying these items will be told to remove them.

Movie replica Prop Guns, swords and other weapons may be displayed and sold under these conditions:

1. The displayed items must be out of reach of visitors.
2. Visitors may handle the items if under supervision of the vendor they are brought into the stand and in a secured area given the item to examine.
3. Whilst the items can be sold at the show, they cannot be taken away and must be posted out after the show.

Non-lethal foam LARP weapons may be sold.

Mystery Bags and Boxes

Exhibitors taking a trade stand may not bring stock of, display, take subscriptions for or sell items such as Mystery Boxes and Mystery Bags where the buyer does not know exactly what items they are purchasing.

Exhibitors carrying these items will be told to remove them. This restriction does not prevent the sale of booster packs for collectible games.

If you require guidance on these restrictions and how it may apply to you please contact Richard.

UKCE / CE Marks

Need to check your product meets the UK and European health, safety, performance and environmental requirements. Any item designed or intended, whether or not exclusively, for use in play by children under 14 years of age will need to be CE /UKCA marked under the Toy Safety Directive. The exception to this is specifically collectable items which are aimed at adult consumers. To qualify to be an exception the items must be 1) an item valued and sought by collectors 2) only be sold to customers of ages 14 and above 3) be displayed on a stand and labelled in such a way that it is clear.

AI Policy

An underlying aim of UK Games Expo is to support innovative and exciting ideas by creative individuals from the tabletop games industry. As such we are committed to encouraging the original works of human designers, publishers, artists, illustrators and writers.

We therefore require that our Exhibitors ensure that all products exhibited, displayed or sold have been created by humans using their own skills. Items and products that have been created or generated completely or in significant part by the use of AI tools and programmes are prohibited.

This includes but is not limited to art and text used in all forms of tabletop games  and associated products and accessories, craft items, pieces of art, clothing  and books both fiction and non- fiction.

The organisers at their absolute discretion will require Exhibitors who do exhibit, display or sell such items to remove them and in the case that this request is refused may close down such exhibitor’s stands and ban them from future participation at UK Games Expo.

UK Games Expo emphasizes that this policy does not preclude the use of computerised tools used for spell checking  and minor editing and aiding in production or accessibility.  However, the central creative process must be conducted by humans.