
- BGG rank
- BGG #22,631
- BGG rating
- 5.7
Atlandice
- 2–4 players
- 20–40 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2018

Rules assistance for The Dealer
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Dealer is a board game released in 2026 for 3–6 players, 25 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Scott Huntington and Shaun Graham and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Push Your Luck, and Negotiation.
Welcome to the Starlight Galactic, the greatest casino in the universe! Thrill seekers from across the cosmos flocks to this glitzy wonderland to try their tentacles at games of skill and chance. You've got yourself a shot at besting the galaxy's greatest gamblers including the slipperiest of them all... The Dealer. The Dealer is a push-your-luck game that mixes bluffing with deduction and cooperation with betrayal. Take cards to earn points and make sure you don't bust. There's just one problem: Everyone can see your cards... except you. In each round of the game, players will be assigned roles. One of these is The Dealer, who draws and distributes cards between the players, and their ultimate goal is to make sure everyone goes bust. Since only the others players can see your cards, you'll need to negotiate (or use your special powers) to gather more information. At any point you can bank your hand if you think the total value is between 3 and 5, but if not you can wait for the dealer to give out more cards and hope you don't go bust!
The Dealer supports 3–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for The Dealer is 25 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists The Dealer for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
The Dealer has a complexity rating of 2.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
The Dealer belongs to these categories: Card Game, Deduction, and Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Push Your Luck, and Negotiation. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of The Dealer are: Scott Huntington and Shaun Graham. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists The Dealer as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.