Joining a table
Sitting down at a table on Stacked is a request, not a click — the Host approves you before you sit.
Finding a table
Open the lobby to see every public table currently running — Free Play and real-money together, with a tag on each showing which mode. Each table shows its stakes, the Host, and how many seats are filled. Pick one and click sit.
Public and invite-only tables
Stacked has two kinds of tables:
- Public tables appear in the lobby and anyone can request a seat.
- Invite-only tables don't appear in the lobby — you reach them via a direct link the Host shares.
The flow once you're at the table is the same either way: request a seat, Host approves.
Requesting a seat
On a real-money table, requesting a seat means depositing your buy-in into the table contract. You pick the amount and sign the deposit transaction from your wallet. (See Deposits for the full step.) Once the deposit confirms on-chain, you appear in the Host's pending list with your wallet and the buy-in you chose.
On a Free Play table, there's no deposit. You click sit, pick a chip amount, and you're in the pending list.
Pending → approved
After you request a seat, you wait briefly while the Host reviews. The wait depends on the Host — most respond quickly, especially at active tables where they're already watching the pending list. You'll see your pending status at the table view until they approve or decline.
If the Host approves: you're seated and your chips show up in front of you.
If the Host declines or never responds: on a real-money table, you can withdraw your deposit back to your wallet at any time. See Withdrawals. On a Free Play table, nothing to withdraw — just pick another table.
Why approval at all
Stacked is a marketplace where every table is created by a player. The approval step is what lets a Host curate the table the way they want — turn down a buy-in that doesn't fit the game, or anyone they don't want sitting in. The platform doesn't set those rules; the Host does. The trade-off is one request before you sit.
What's next
- At the table → — what to expect once you're seated.
- Free Play vs real-money → — the differences between the two modes.
- Deposits → — how the buy-in transaction works.
- Host your own table → — the other side of the approval flow.