Patent landscapes › Sports & games

Is a playing cards patented?

Short answer: specific designs of a playing cards have been patented many times, but "a playing cards" as a general idea is not what is protected. What matters is the exact combination of features in your version.

What our index shows
  • 426 US and WO patent publications since 2000 have a title matching “playing card” or a close variant (our index of 9.7 million patent families; one publication per family).
  • Among the 383 best keyword matches we examined, 79 were published in 2020 or later, and the earliest was published in 2000.
  • Most frequent assignees in those matches: BALLY GAMING INC (18), ANGEL GROUP CO LTD (10), ANGEL PLAYING CARDS CO LTD (9), SOLTYS RICHARD (8).
  • Most common patent classes (CPC subclasses): A63F (340), G07F (104), G09B (16), G06K (14).

Counts come from keyword matching on titles and abstracts, so they are indicative, not a legal count. Some matches are different products that share a word.

14 real patent publications related to a playing cards

  1. A system of a new deck of cards and of an associated ranking system and their application in playing games US-2025050198-A1 2025 · MOURAD RAPHAEL
    A new deck of E physical cards composed of X subdecks of cards is disclosed. Each subdeck represents a category as part of human life or from our world, and comprises of at least 26 cards, each card having a face side that bears a…
    View on Google Patents
  2. Nonconventional playing cards, playing card decks and games using nonconventional cards US-10896583-B2 2021 · IN BET GAMING INC
    Nonconventional playing cards, nonconventional decks of playing cards and method of playing and presenting games using such cards are provided. A nonconventional deck of playing cards may comprise a plurality of playing cards each…
    View on Google Patents
  3. Educational and interactive strategic thinking game and deck of cards for playing same US-2016089593-A1 2016 · BOHADI YOUSEF AHMAD EISSA
    An educational and interactive strategic thinking game is shown with a deck of distinct game cards. The deck of distinct game cards includes a distinct first subset having a plurality of symbol game cards and a distinct second sub…
    View on Google Patents
  4. System, method and apparatus to produce decks for and operate games played with playing cards US-9101820-B2 2015 · SOLTYS RICHARD
    A composition of a set of playing cards employing a plurality of standard playing cards and bonus playing cards may be determined, resulting in a desired theoretical hold or advantage for the gaming establishment. The composition …
    View on Google Patents
  5. Game system including multiple decks of thematic playing cards US-2013119609-A1 2013 · PRACTICAL STRATEGIES INC
    A system of educational games with a common educational theme of parliamentary, political, civic, geographical, and historical elements for delivering relevant, current information regarding elected or appointed officials, governm…
    View on Google Patents
  6. Online gaming system for simulating a soccer game using an electronic deck of playing cards US-8187069-B2 2012 · POISSON RENALD
    An online gaming system for simulating a soccer game comprising a server with a processor, a network in communication with the server, at least one client device in communication with the network, wherein the at least one client d…
    View on Google Patents
  7. Deck of playing cards and methods of playing card games US-2012098200-A1 2012 · SIDLER JOANE ANDRE
    Described embodiments relate to a deck of playing cards comprising a plurality of individual playing cards, each of the individual playing cards having a front side and a back side, the front side having displayed thereon a card i…
    View on Google Patents
  8. Method of Playing a Card Game and A Deck of Cards US-2011204568-A1 2011 · MCLEAN KIMBERLY
    A method of playing a card game using a deck of cards. Each card contains a stimulus describing a real life experience which triggers a human response. The active player's team members must guess the correct character to win a…
    View on Google Patents
  9. Simulated football game and a deck of cards for playing the same US-7862044-B1 2011 · FLYING PIG GAMES LLC
    A simulated football game that may be played using a deck comprising “run,” “pass,” and “catch” cards and other special football cards relating to moments of a football game or using an electronic device simulating such cards. Run…
    View on Google Patents
  10. Hold'em poker game and deck of cards for playing same US-7398973-B2 2008 · ANDREWS CHAD
    A variation of a poker game is shown, with a unique deck of cards. The deck inserts two additional values (11 and 12), and un-suits two values (10s and 11s). The play is substantially equivalent to that of Texas Hold 'Em excep…
    View on Google Patents
  11. Card game, deck of cards and method for playing a card game US-2007205557-A1 2007 · AL-BUIJAN MESHARI A
    A deck of playing cards includes a fist set of twenty “identity” cards having a similar design of a first color on a back surface thereof and a picture of an item and a distinctive color on a front surface thereof. A single produc…
    View on Google Patents
  12. Game apparatus for playing an electronic game based on a deck of cards US-6419584-B1 2002 · NINTENDO CO LTD
    A card game apparatus includes a display to display a game scene. In the game scene, a first master display site and a second master display site are formed to respectively display therein a first master as the other self of a gam…
    View on Google Patents
  13. Method of playing a wild card game and related deck of cards US-6302398-B1 2001 · LTB LLC
    A method of playing a card game and a deck of cards for playing the card game. The method includes dealing one face-up card to each player and one face-down card to the dealer from a deck of cards according to the invention. The o…
    View on Google Patents
  14. Method of playing a game with a deck of cards US-6155567-A 2000
    A method of playing a game with a deck of cards, having a plurality of card suits, and a plurality of card values; the method including the steps of dealing the deck so that the cards are evenly distributed among a group of player…
    View on Google Patents

What this means for your idea

Because patents cover specific combinations of features, the useful question is not “has a playing cards been patented?” but “has my combination of features been described before?” Sports equipment patents tend to cover the grip, impact absorption, training feedback, and how gear is adjusted.

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Guides that help with this

First-look landscape. Not exhaustive. Not legal advice. This page lists keyword-matched publications from a limited database; it does not say whether any product is or isn't covered by a patent, whether a patent is still in force, or whether your idea is patentable. Consult a registered patent attorney or agent.