The GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association) board of directors updated members on its work on a revised set of bylaws at its October meeting, indicating that it was moving toward expanding the involvement of the trade.  Organized as an association of game producers, over the years GAMA has grown to include many retailer and wholesaler members who are not considered Full Voting Members.

GAMA first described the core problem it had identified based on input from people inside and outside the organization: "…our current membership structure limits input, involvement and decision making authority and is a barrier to being reflective of the diversity in the industry."

Then it laid out the guiding principles for a proposed set of amendments to the bylaws:

• GAMA will be an organization that is reflective of a diverse and growing industry
• All members of the organization will have a voice regardless of the type of business they are engaged in
• Business in every membership category will have a vote, with the exception of Communicating Members
• There will be equality of representation on the board of directors from all membership categories
• We will have an open and transparent dialogue on why these changes are necessary to ensure that GMAA is relevant to the tabletop industry of today.

"The process will be hard, but the work is necessary to achieve our full potential as an organization that provides value to our industry," the board said in its statement accompanying the news.