Help - Account Management

Before Registering

In order for your SkillGround registration to be successful, you will need to:

1. Use Internet Explorer (6.0 or above) or Mozilla Firefox (1.5 or above) as your browser.
2. Have ActiveX (Internet Explorer only), JavaScript, and Cookies enabled on your browser.*
3. Install Game Manager when prompted by your browser.
4. Fill in the registration form with your valid information. Please note that due to blood and gore violence in some of the games, you must be at least 17 years old in order to play the games on SkillGround.

* If you are unable to get to the registration form, to ensure that all required browser options are enabled (ActiveX, JavaScript, Cookies), follow the instructions below:

Using Internet Explorer

To enable ActiveX:

1. Click the Tools menu of your browser, then choose Internet Options
2. Select the Security tab
3. Click the Internet icon, then click the Custom Level button
4. Locate the section called ActiveX controls and plug-ins and ensure the settings are as follows:
   • Download signed ActiveX controls are set to Prompt
   • Run ActiveX controls are set to Enable
   • Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting are set to Enable
5. Click OK to save your changes

To enable JavaScript:

1. Click the Tools menu of your browser, then choose Internet Options
2. Select the Security tab
3. Click the Internet icon, then click the Custom Level button
4. Scroll down about three quarters of the way to the bottom until you see the heading Scripting
5. Make sure that scripting settings are all set to Enable
6. Click OK to save your changes

To enable Cookies:

1. Click the Tools menu of your browser, then choose Internet Options
2. Select the Privacy tab
3. Click on the Default button (or manually slide the bar down to Medium under settings)
4. Click OK to save your changes

Using Firefox

To enable JavaScript:

1. Click the Tools menu of your browser, then choose Options…
2. Select the Content tab
3. Ensure that the Enable JavaScript checkbox is checked
4. Click OK to save your changes

To enable Cookies:

1. Click the Tools menu of your browser, then choose Options…
2. Select the Privacy tab
3. Ensure that the Allow sites to set cookies checkbox is checked
4. Click OK to save your changes

When you have enabled these options, proceed to the SkillGround registration.

Important: Make sure to provide your email address correctly when you register. After your registration is complete, an activation code will be sent to you by email. You will need this code to activate your account. Add SkillGround.com to the Safe Senders List in your email application to ensure delivery of this code.

Please remember that for security reasons, SkillGround allows only one account per person.

Registering for an Account on SkillGround

Registering for a Basic Account grants you free access to SkillGround games that are supported through short advertisements prior to playing each game. The advertising helps keep SkillGround’s games free for those who choose not to compete for cash prizes.

Use your Basic Account to familiarize yourself with the games and with the challenge process. You are encouraged to challenge and play others until you are ready to play for real cash prizes.

Registering your Basic Account is easy:
1. Click on the main banner or "Register Now" link from the Home page.
2. Choose a Username and password, and enter your email address, gender and date of birth on from the signup/login the User Registration page.  Check the box indicating that you have read and understood the Terms of Service and click the “Continue” button
3. Make a deposit and join the Player’s Club by selecting “Deposit”, or choose to join later by clicking “Continue Free Trial”
4. Verify your email address by entering the code sent to your email address (or choose to Activate later, or have the verification code resent to you).
5. Select the SkillGround game that you want to install first. (Not applicable if registering from a Game page.)
6. Start Playing!

Basic Account users will have access to free games only. In order to play cash games, users with a Basic Account will need to upgrade to a Premium Account / Player’s Club Account.

Upgrading to a Premium Account / Player's Club Account

Premium Account / Player’s Club Account users are eligible to also play for cash. As a Premium Account / Player’s Club Account user, you will be able to challenge other users for cash and hold a cash balance for all the prize money that you’ve won. You will also be able to continue playing free games. If you are ready to play for real cash prizes and receive full access to all the rewards at SkillGround, you’ll need to upgrade to a Premium Account / Player’s Club Account

To convert or upgrade your Basic Account to a Premium Account / Player Club Account:
1. Log into your account and click on the Deposit button, the Upgrade button, or any of the upgrade links on the site
2. Select your Deposit Amount and the method of payment
3. Enter your billing information
4. Confirm your deposit
5. Start enjoying the benefits of your Premium Account / Player’s Club account!

Important: Make sure to enter your billing address correctly so that payment can be sent to you successfully when you make a withdrawal request.

After registering your Premium Account / Player’s Club Account, your SkillGround balance will be shown in the login panel on the top right corner of the site when you are logged in. Note: Balance = Real Money + Game Credits. You can see the breakdown of your Balance at any time on the Withdraw Funds page under My Account, Remember that Premium Accounts / Player’s Club Accounts are only available to users who have reached the legal age of majority in their state/country of residence. Premium Accounts / Player’s Club Accounts may not be available in certain jurisdictions.

First Deposit Promotion

As a welcoming gift to first time SkillGround Premium Account / Player’s Club Account users, we will add bonus Game Credits equal to 100% of the amount of your FIRST deposit, up to a maximum of $30 in Game Credits.  Therefore, if your first deposit is $20, you will receive an extra $20 in Game Credits.  If your first deposit is $30, you will receive an extra $30 in Game Credits. 

Game Credits constitute part of your account balance but CANNOT be withdrawn.  However, when paying an Entry Fee, 25% of the fee will be taken from Game Credits, and the remaining 75% will come from your cash balance. Your match winnings are always returned to you in cash, and therefore, after playing cash games with total Entry Fees equal to four times the amount of Game Credits, all of your Game Credits will have been converted into cash.


Getting Help

Need assistance?

Once you have logged in, you can contact Customer Care by clicking one of the “Live help” buttons located at the bottom of the SkillGround home page and on the left side of each game lobby. From the UTour pages, you can reach the SkillGround home page by clicking “SkillGround Game Network” at the top left hand corner of your screen.  Clicking the “Live help” button will pop up a chat window that will allow you to communicate directly with our Customer Care representatives.  To help us solve your issue most quickly, please identify the type of problem that you are having using the pull-down menu on this screen, and also provide us with as much information as possible in the form.  Live chat is usually available each day from 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern time.  If the “Live help” button is greyed out, it means that Live help is currently not available.

If Live chat is not available or if you prefer to email your question, you may choose to “Email our Customer Care team” by clicking the button directly next to the “Live help” button.  This will pop up an email form that will allow you to communicate directly with our Customer Care representatives.  To help us solve your issue most quickly, please identify the type of problem that you are having using the pull-down menu on this screen, and also provide us with as much information as possible in the form.  We will respond to all customer issues sent through this form within one business day.

You can also contact Customer Care via email at: customercare@skillground.com (for example, if you are having difficulty in logging in).

Be sure to read the FAQ first, as it may help answer many of your questions. Our FAQ is available here.

Your comments and requests are welcome. You can send us feedback by writing to us in the Instant Feedback window, located on the left side of the screen of most game lobbies. You can also post comments in the SkillGround forums which can be accessed through the “Community” and “Club House” tabs. Please note that although we do read all Instant Feedback messages, if you need customer support, you will need to contact our Customer Care team via the “Live help” or “Email our Customer Care team” buttons, or via email.

Personal Information

You can view and change your personal account information in this section.

You can purchase games for download in this section, as well as redeem your reward points for Game Credits.  

Marketplace offers a variety of games published by Groove, including the retail versions of your favorite games offered through SkillGround.  Marketplace displays the name of the title, description of the game, and price for purchase.

To buy a game, simply click on the “Purchase This Game” button.

• Go to Marketplace and select “Game Store” on the menu to the left.
• If you are logged into your Premium Account / Player’s Club Account, Marketplace will confirm your order by displaying the title for purchase, the cost of the game, taxes, and total purchase price, as well as your account balance.  If you click “Confirm,” your account will be debited, and you will be prompted to download the game.  You will also be sent a confirmation email with the details of your order.
• Prior to downloading the game, you will be prompted to download a separate file.  This file is the Streaming Download Manager for the game you purchased:
• • Internet Explorer users should RUN this file when prompted by their browser;
  • Firefox users should SAVE it and run it from disk.
• Once run, the Streaming Download Manager will take care of game installation from start to finish.  You will even be able to start playing the game before the entire game is downloaded.

Important: If you have insufficient funds in your Premium Account / Player’s Club Account, Marketplace will prompt you to deposit the balance required to meet the purchase price of the game.

If you are logged into your Basic Account, Marketplace will prompt you to upgrade to a Premium Account / Player’s Club Account in order to continue with your purchase.  If you do not have a SkillGround Account, Marketplace will still allow you to purchase games as a Guest on the site. 

• Click the “Continue” button to proceed with the purchase.  You will then be brought to a form where you are required to fill in your contact information, including email, name, address, and phone number.
• Click the “Continue button.  You will then be brought to a form where you are required to fill in your payment information, including your credit card number and expiry date.
• Click the “Order Now” button to complete your purchase.  You will then be prompted to download the game.  You will also be sent a confirmation email with the details of your order.

Marketplace also offers a way to redeem your Reward Points for Game Credits on SkillGround. 

• Go to Marketplace and select “Rewards Redemption Center” on the menu to the left.
• Marketplace will then display the number of Reward Points earned over your course of play on SkillGround.  If you’ve accrued a sufficient number of points, you can click on the “Redeem Now” button to obtain your Game Credits:
• • $5.00 Game Credit = 3,000 Reward Points
  • $10.00 Game Credit = 5,500 Reward Points
  • $20.00 Game Credit = 10,000 Reward Points

The selected number of Reward Points will then be debited from your Reward Point Balance, which will be updated and displayed.  The Game Credits you’ve purchased will be added to your Account Balance.