Game Manufacturers Association

The mission of the Game Manufacturers Association is no less than “a game on every table, a table for every gamer.” GAMA’s players are individuals and organizations that buy, sell, license, or manufacture “non-electronic social games”—think board and tabletop games, cards, and live-action role-playing. Fun fact: Many games get their start as novels, and some games spawn book series.

Boardgame Players Association

The Boardgame Players Association brings together thousands of people devoted to board games—played in-person and online—and helps rate players around the globe. While it’s one of the forces behind the popular World Boardgaming Championships and it sponsors other annual tournaments, BPA encourages members to set up and run their own events, some of which have been underway for years.

Association for Games and Puzzles International

The Association for Games and Puzzles International promotes collecting and preserving games and puzzles. But with celebrated historians, authors, and designers of these pastimes among its members, AGPI isn’t all just fun and—well, you know. People have been playing games since ancient times, and AGPI helps experts research the history and cultural insights behind the games that have left an indelible mark.

(Diane Macdonald/Getty Images)