Terms of Service

Effective 28 July 2026

1. Introduction

Welcome to Comp World ("Comp World", "we", "our", "us"). These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Comp World website, mobile applications, and related services (collectively, the "Service").

Comp World is headquartered in New Zealand and provides the Service to Users in New Zealand and other countries from time to time. By accessing, downloading, installing, registering for, or using the Service, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, you must not use the Service. Some terms that apply to you may depend on the country in which you are located — see clause 27 (Country-Specific Terms).

These Terms form a binding contract between you and Comp World. If you are using the Service on behalf of an organisation, school, studio, or other legal entity, you confirm that you are authorised to bind that entity, and "you" includes that entity.

2. Definitions

  • Service means the Comp World website, mobile applications (including any version distributed via the Apple App Store or Google Play Store), APIs, and all related features.
  • User means any person who accesses or uses the Service.
  • Host means a User who creates, manages, advertises, or runs Competitions on Comp World.
  • Adjudicator means a User invited or appointed by a Host to score, critique, or judge entries in a Competition.
  • Participant means a User who enters or participates in a Competition (including, where the Participant is a minor, the parent or guardian acting on the minor's behalf).
  • Competition means any event, contest, eisteddfod, festival, exam, or other activity created or managed through the Service.
  • Entry means a registration to participate in a Competition.
  • Entry Fee means any fee charged for an Entry.
  • Service Fee means the fee Comp World charges in connection with payments processed through the Service, including any administration fee.
  • User Content means any content, data, text, images, audio, video, sheet music, performance recording, profile information, or other material that you upload, submit, or transmit through the Service.
  • Stripe means Stripe, Inc. and its affiliates, our third-party payment processor.
  • Business Day means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday in New Zealand.
  • Host Failure Event means any of the following: (a) a Host fails to respond to an urgent request from Comp World within three Business Days; (b) a Competition's venue is lost without a confirmed replacement; (c) a Competition is cancelled or postponed without the Participant communication or refunds required by clause 8; (d) refunds owed to Participants are overdue; (e) a Host becomes insolvent, ceases business, or is otherwise unable to run a Competition; (f) Competition information is materially misleading; (g) a Host repeatedly cancels or postpones Competitions at short notice; or (h) there is credible evidence that a Host has stopped communicating with Participants or Comp World, including where the Host's public communication channels are closed or deleted.
  • At-Risk Competition means a Competition that Comp World has designated under clause 20.1 because Comp World reasonably believes there is a material risk that the Competition will not proceed as advertised, that Participants will not receive what they paid for, or that refunds owed to Participants will not be provided.
  • Continuity Action means any action Comp World takes under clause 8.7, 19, or 20 to protect Participants in connection with an At-Risk Competition — including preserving records, communicating with Participants about a disruption, pausing Entries or payouts, facilitating refunds, or offering a Replacement Event.
  • Replacement Event means a new, separate event operated by Comp World or by another operator approved by Comp World and offered to Participants of an At-Risk Competition. A Replacement Event is legally separate from the original Competition and is not a continuation of it.
  • Operational Records means the schedules, Entry details, section and timetable information, venue and supplier contact details, communications, refund records, and other information held in or supplied through the Service that is reasonably required to administer a Competition.
  • Withheld Funds means amounts arising from Entry sales for a Competition that have not yet been paid out to the relevant Host and are held or controlled through Stripe.

3. Eligibility and Accounts

3.1 Age and Capacity

The Service is intended for users aged 18 and over. Persons under 18 may only use the Service through an account held and operated by a parent or legal guardian, who is responsible for all activity on that account and for ensuring it is used in accordance with these Terms.

If you are a parent or guardian registering a Participant who is a minor, you confirm that:

  • You are the parent or legal guardian of that minor and have the legal authority to register them;
  • You consent on the minor's behalf to the collection, use, and disclosure of their personal information as described in these Terms, including their name, date of birth, photograph, performance recordings, and competition results;
  • You consent to the publication of the minor's name and competition results in connection with the Service; and
  • You are responsible for the minor's conduct on the Service.

Hosts may set additional age requirements for individual Competitions. Comp World does not independently verify the age of any User.

3.2 Account Registration

Most features of the Service require an account. You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information when registering and to keep that information up to date. You must not register more than one account, register an account on behalf of someone other than yourself (except as a parent or guardian under clause 3.1), or use another User's account without permission.

3.3 Account Security

You are responsible for safeguarding your account credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. You must notify us immediately at support@compworld.co.nz of any unauthorised use of your account or any other suspected security breach. Comp World is not liable for any loss arising from your failure to keep your credentials secure.

3.4 Account Closure

You may stop using the Service at any time. To request closure of your account or deletion of your personal information, contact us at support@compworld.co.nz. Some information (including financial records, audit logs, and information necessary to complete or resolve outstanding Competitions, Entries, payments, or disputes) may be retained for as long as required by law or for legitimate operational purposes.

3.5 Verification of Host Information

Comp World may, at any time, require a Host to provide or confirm information reasonably necessary to verify the Host's identity, legal entity or trading name, contact details, authority to act for an organisation, or ownership of the bank account receiving payouts — particularly where Comp World identifies a risk to Participants, to funds, or to the integrity of the Service. Comp World may withhold publication of a Competition, payouts, or other features until requested verification information is provided, and may suspend an account under clause 19 where verification information provided is false, misleading, or materially out of date.

4. Use of the Service

You agree to use the Service only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms.

4.1 Prohibited Conduct

You must not:

  • Impersonate any other person or entity, or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity;
  • Harass, threaten, abuse, defame, bully, stalk, or discriminate against any other User, including any Adjudicator, Participant, Host, or staff member;
  • Upload or transmit viruses, malware, or other harmful code;
  • Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of the Service or to any account, system, or data;
  • Probe, scan, reverse engineer, decompile, or otherwise attempt to discover the source code of the Service, except to the extent expressly permitted by law;
  • Interfere with, disrupt, or place an unreasonable load on the Service;
  • Use the Service to transmit unsolicited commercial communications;
  • Scrape, harvest, or collect data about other Users by automated means;
  • Use the Service in a way that could harm a child or otherwise breach any law relating to the safeguarding of children;
  • Use the Service to engage in conduct that is illegal, fraudulent, or that breaches the rights of any third party.

4.2 Reporting Misconduct

If you become aware of any breach of this clause 4 or any other safety, safeguarding, or integrity concern, please contact us immediately at support@compworld.co.nz.

5. Competitions, Payments, and Fees

5.1 Platform Payments

All Competitions created, advertised, or managed through Comp World must process Entry Fee payments through Comp World's integrated payment systems, unless explicitly approved by Comp World in writing.

5.2 Service Fees

Comp World charges a Service Fee on Entries processed through the platform. The Service Fee may include a percentage component, a fixed component, and an administration fee, and may vary by payment method and country. Hosts acknowledge and agree that the Service Fee is an essential part of Comp World's business model.

5.3 No Off-Platform Payments

Hosts must not require, request, encourage, or facilitate Participants to pay Entry Fees outside the Comp World platform (including by bank transfer, cash, invoice, or any other method) for Competitions listed on Comp World.

5.4 Payment Processing by Stripe

Payments through the Service are processed by Stripe. By making or receiving a payment through the Service, you also agree to Stripe's applicable terms, including the Stripe Services Agreement and (for Hosts) the Stripe Connected Account Agreement, available at https://stripe.com/legal. Comp World is not a bank, deposit-taker, or licensed financial institution. Funds processed through the Service are handled in accordance with Stripe's terms.

5.5 Currency, Tax, and Invoicing

Entry Fees are listed in the currency selected by the Host for the relevant Competition. You are responsible for any taxes that apply to you (including GST, VAT, sales tax, income tax, or equivalent), other than taxes on Comp World's own income. Hosts are responsible for determining the correct tax treatment of their Competitions and for issuing any tax invoices to Participants where required by the law that applies to them.

5.6 Chargebacks and Disputes

If a payment made through the Service is reversed, charged back, or otherwise disputed by the payer or their bank, the corresponding Entry may be cancelled and any amount paid out to the relevant Host may be reclaimed by Comp World. Hosts are responsible for the underlying transaction and may be required to repay disputed amounts (together with any associated fees).

5.7 Payout Timing and Risk-Based Payout Controls

Payouts of Entry proceeds to Hosts are made through Stripe. To protect Participants, Comp World may — to the extent permitted by law and by Stripe's terms — delay, pause, stage, restrict, or reverse payouts to a Host, or require that a portion of Entry proceeds be retained until after a Competition has successfully concluded. Comp World may apply these controls before any refund becomes overdue where objective risk indicators exist, having regard to matters such as the Host's operating and refund history, cancellation history, verification status (see clause 3.5), responsiveness, Participant complaints, chargeback history, the value and timing of the Competition, and how long the Host has used the Service.

Where Comp World restricts a Host's payouts, it will give the Host written notice of the reason unless doing so would create further risk to Participants or funds, and the Host may respond with evidence and ask for the restriction to be reviewed. Withheld Funds remain subject to refunds owed to Participants, chargebacks, payment-processing fees, and any amounts Comp World may lawfully set off under clause 16. Withheld Funds are handled through Stripe in accordance with Stripe's terms; they are not held by Comp World on trust or in escrow.

6. Fee Circumvention Prohibited

Hosts must not take any action, directly or indirectly, to circumvent, avoid, or attempt to avoid the Service Fee.

This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Offering or suggesting off-platform payments for Comp World Competitions;
  • Issuing 100% discount codes with the expectation that Participants will pay the Host directly;
  • Refunding or discounting Entries in order to move payment outside the platform;
  • Creating alternative payment arrangements after a Participant has registered or expressed intent to enter via Comp World;
  • Listing the same Competition through Comp World and a competing platform with the intent of routing payments away from Comp World.

Any attempt to bypass the Service Fee constitutes a material breach of these Terms and may result in immediate suspension or termination of the Host's account and any associated Competitions.

7. Discount Codes

7.1 Permitted Use

Discount codes may be used to reduce Entry Fees within the Comp World platform only.

7.2 Prohibited Use

Discount codes must not be used to:

  • Enable or facilitate payment outside the platform;
  • Misrepresent the true cost of Entry;
  • Avoid or reduce the Service Fee.

Comp World reserves the right to disable, revoke, or limit discount codes at any time.

8. Refunds, Cancellations, and Withdrawals

8.1 Refunds and Comp World's Role

Refunds of Entry Fees and other amounts paid by Participants are the responsibility of the relevant Host, not Comp World. Comp World does not itself owe or guarantee any refund that is the responsibility of a Host. Comp World may, however, process or facilitate a refund where these Terms permit it (including clauses 8.7 and 20), where our payment-processing arrangements provide for it, or where the law requires it. If Comp World processes or facilitates a refund on a Host's behalf, that does not make Comp World responsible for the Host's other debts or obligations, and does not create any ongoing obligation owed by Comp World to Participants. Nothing in this clause 8 limits any rights you have under consumer-protection law that cannot be excluded by agreement (see clause 8.8).

8.2 Refunds Are the Host's Responsibility

Any refund of Entry Fees or other amounts paid by a Participant is the sole responsibility of the relevant Host. Hosts:

  • Set, communicate, and administer their own refund and withdrawal policy for each Competition;
  • Are responsible for receiving payouts from Stripe before issuing any refund;
  • Are responsible for processing refunds manually, outside the Comp World platform, after the Host has received the relevant payout from Stripe; and
  • Remain responsible for honouring any refund commitment they have made to a Participant, whether expressed in the Competition listing, the Host's own terms, or otherwise.

Any refund policy a Host sets must, at a minimum, honour the Participant entitlements in clause 8.5.

Comp World is not a party to the refund arrangement between a Host and a Participant. Comp World does not hold funds on trust for Participants and is under no obligation to process, mediate, or guarantee any refund.

8.3 Service Fees

The Service Fee (including the administration fee and any payment-processing component) is non-refundable, except: (a) where a refund of the Service Fee is required by law; (b) where the relevant Comp World service was not supplied; (c) where Stripe or another payment provider reverses or refunds the fee; (d) where another provision of these Terms expressly provides for a refund of the Service Fee; or (e) where Comp World chooses, in its discretion, to refund a Service Fee as a goodwill gesture (which does not oblige Comp World to do so in any other case). Otherwise, the Service Fee remains payable and non-refundable where a Host refunds all or part of an Entry Fee, where a Competition is cancelled, postponed, or rescheduled, and where a Participant withdraws from a Competition. The Service Fee funds the third-party services used to process and deliver each transaction; those costs are typically incurred as soon as a payment is processed and are generally not refunded to Comp World.

8.4 Participant Withdrawals (Competition Dates Unchanged)

If a Participant withdraws from, or can no longer attend, a Competition for any reason personal to the Participant — and the Competition is still scheduled for the same date(s) as when the Entry was made — the Participant is not entitled to a refund. Any refund in this situation is entirely at the Host's discretion and is a voluntary gesture by the Host, not an obligation.

8.5 Date Changes and Cancellations by the Host

If a Host changes the date(s) of a Competition after Entries have been taken — for any reason — every Participant who can no longer attend the Competition on its new date(s) is entitled to a refund of all amounts they paid for the affected Entry (including Entry Fees and optional extras), excluding the Service Fee. The same entitlement applies to every Participant if the Host cancels a Competition.

The Host is solely responsible for managing, communicating, and processing these refunds directly with affected Participants, promptly. Comp World does not provide refund features and, except as described in clauses 8.7 and 20, does not process these refunds and is not a party to them.

If a Host makes any other material change to a Competition, the Host is responsible for communicating the change to affected Participants and for handling any resulting refund or credit in accordance with the Host's own policy and clause 8.2.

8.6 Cancellation and Refund Process

If a Host decides to cancel a Competition, or to change its date(s) in a way that engages clause 8.5, the Host must:

  • Notify Comp World before publicly announcing the cancellation or date change (or, where an emergency makes prior notice impractical, as soon as possible afterwards);
  • Immediately stop taking new Entries for the Competition;
  • Promptly notify all affected Participants through the Service and through the Host's other usual communication channels;
  • Begin processing refunds owed under clause 8.5 promptly, and complete every such refund within 45 days of the earlier of (a) the date the Host announces the cancellation, postponement, or date change, and (b) the first date on which the Competition was scheduled to take place — or within any shorter period required by law. If a Participant's entitlement under clause 8.5 arises later (for example, because they notify the Host that they cannot attend the new date(s)), that refund must be completed within 45 days of the entitlement arising;
  • Report the status of those refunds to Comp World through a process approved by Comp World, and provide reasonable evidence that refunds have been completed when Comp World requests it;
  • Not require any Participant to accept a credit, entry into another event, or any other substitute in place of a refund, unless the Participant expressly agrees;
  • Not use a postponement or reschedule to avoid or delay Participants' refund entitlements under clause 8.5; and
  • Continue to respond to Participants and to Comp World until all refunds, credits, disputes, and other obligations connected with the Competition have been resolved.

The 45-day refund deadline does not apply where a Competition is cancelled or postponed because government action, an order, or a law (for example a public-health restriction of the kind imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic) prevents the Competition from being held. In that case the Host must still keep affected Participants informed and must complete all refunds owed under clause 8.5 as soon as reasonably practicable.

Failure to follow this process is a material breach of these Terms and may result in the actions described in clauses 8.7, 19, and 20. In addition, if a Host fails to complete the refunds required by this clause, Comp World reserves the right to take legal action against the Host — including action to recover, for the benefit of affected Participants, the amounts the Host has failed to refund, together with Comp World's own losses and costs of recovery (see clause 16). This right is in addition to, and does not limit, any claim an affected Participant may bring against the Host directly.

8.7 At-Risk Competitions and Early Intervention

Refunds owed under clause 8.5 are a material obligation of the Host under these Terms. Comp World is not required to wait until a refund is overdue before acting: if Comp World reasonably believes that a Host may fail to meet its refund or event obligations — including where a Host Failure Event occurs — Comp World may take any or all of the following steps, in addition to its rights under clauses 19 and 20:

  • Pause new Entries for one or more of the Host's Competitions;
  • Delay, pause, restrict, or stage payouts to the Host (see clause 5.7), and require that reserves be maintained before Entries reopen;
  • Disable the Host's discount codes or restrict changes to Competition listings;
  • Require the Host to provide a written refund plan, evidence of funds available to meet refunds, or evidence that the venue and other event arrangements remain secured;
  • Process refunds owed under clause 8.5 on the Host's behalf out of Withheld Funds;
  • Communicate directly with affected Participants (see clause 12.2) and display a status notice on the affected Competition;
  • Suspend other Competitions operated by the same Host; and
  • Suspend or terminate the Host's account under clause 19 where non-compliance is serious or repeated.

Comp World's rights under this clause are discretionary, and any steps taken will be reasonably connected to the identified risk. Nothing in this clause obliges Comp World to process any refund or creates any obligation owed by Comp World to Participants.

8.8 Consumer Law

Nothing in this clause 8 limits any rights you have under any consumer-protection law that cannot be excluded by agreement. Where such rights apply, they are owed by the supplier of the relevant good or service (typically the Host in respect of the Competition) and not by Comp World in respect of the underlying Competition.

9. User Content

9.1 Responsibility for User Content

You are solely responsible for User Content that you upload, submit, or transmit through the Service. You confirm and warrant that:

  • You own, or have all necessary rights, licences, consents, and permissions to upload and use the User Content (including any music, sheet music, audio recordings, video recordings, choreography, photographs, and personal information);
  • The User Content does not infringe the intellectual property, privacy, publicity, or other rights of any person;
  • Where the User Content includes the image, voice, performance, or personal information of any other person (including a minor), you have obtained all necessary consents from that person (or their parent or guardian) for that User Content to be uploaded, used, and shared as contemplated by these Terms;
  • The User Content complies with all applicable laws, including copyright laws and any music-licensing requirements that apply in the country in which the Competition is held (for example, APRA AMCOS, OneMusic, PPCA, PRS for Music, or any equivalent collecting society or licensing body for the public performance of music at events).

9.2 Music and Performance Rights

Music played at a Competition, sheet music uploaded into the Service, and recordings of performances may be subject to copyright. You are responsible for obtaining any synchronisation, mechanical, master-use, public-performance, or other licences required for your use of music in connection with a Competition. Comp World does not provide and does not procure any music licence on your behalf. Hosts are responsible for ensuring that the venue at which a Competition is held holds the public-performance and any other music licences required under the laws of the country in which the Competition is held.

9.3 Licence to Comp World

By submitting User Content, you grant Comp World a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, sub-licensable licence to host, store, copy, transmit, transcode, modify (for technical purposes such as resizing, transcoding, or generating thumbnails), display, and distribute that User Content for the purpose of operating, providing, and improving the Service. This licence includes the right to allow Adjudicators, event-day staff, and our third-party service providers to access User Content as reasonably required to operate the Service. The licence continues for as long as is required for those purposes and survives termination of your account to the extent the User Content is part of a Competition record.

If a Host Failure Event occurs, this licence also permits Comp World to use the Host's Operational Records and related User Content to the extent reasonably necessary for Continuity Actions — including preserving the Competition record, communicating with Participants, administering cancellations and refunds, contacting the venue and suppliers to confirm the status of the Competition, assessing whether the Competition can proceed or whether a Replacement Event is feasible, and reconstructing operational information that has been deleted or withheld.

This continuity licence does not transfer ownership of the Host's intellectual property to Comp World, does not permit the reuse of the Host's trade marks, logos, or sponsor materials in a Replacement Event without separate permission, and does not permit Participant User Content (such as backing tracks, sheet music, photographs, or videos) to be moved into a Replacement Event without the agreement described in clause 20.5.

9.4 Image, Likeness, and Results

You acknowledge and agree (and, where the Participant is a minor, you confirm on the minor's behalf) that:

  • A Participant's name, performance title, and competition results may be displayed on the Service, including in published results, schedules, leaderboards, and public profile pages;
  • Comp World may display this information to other Users and, where the Host has elected to make such information publicly available, to the public;
  • Hosts and event-day staff may record performances at a Competition.

9.5 Moderation and Takedown

Comp World may, but is not obliged to, monitor User Content. We may remove, restrict, or disable access to any User Content at our discretion, including User Content that we reasonably believe breaches these Terms or any law.

If you believe that any User Content infringes your copyright or other rights, please contact us at support@compworld.co.nz with: (a) a description of the work or right that has been infringed; (b) the location of the infringing material on the Service; (c) your contact details; and (d) a statement that you are the rights holder or are authorised to act on behalf of the rights holder. We will review and respond within a reasonable time.

10. Adjudicators

If you are appointed as an Adjudicator, you agree that you will:

  • Score, critique, and judge Entries honestly, in good faith, and to the best of your professional ability;
  • Disclose to the relevant Host any actual or perceived conflict of interest;
  • Keep confidential all Participant information and pre-publication results, and use that information only for the purpose of adjudicating the Competition;
  • Not disclose, share, or publish any pre-publication results;
  • Not retain or use Participant information for any purpose unrelated to the Competition.

You grant Comp World and the Host a perpetual, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use, reproduce, display, and distribute any score, written critique, audio critique, or report sheet you produce through the Service in connection with the relevant Competition.

11. Host Obligations

11.1 General

In addition to the obligations elsewhere in these Terms, Hosts agree that they will:

  • Provide accurate and non-misleading information about each Competition (including dates, fees, sections, age categories, prizes, and refund and cancellation policies);
  • Comply with all laws applicable to the running of the Competition in the country in which it is held, including consumer-protection, fair-trading, health and safety, privacy and data-protection, anti-discrimination, and child-safeguarding laws;
  • Handle Participant personal information (including the personal information of minors) lawfully, securely, and only for the purposes for which it was provided;
  • Not use Participant personal information obtained through the Service for marketing or any other purpose unrelated to the relevant Competition without the Participant's separate consent;
  • Honour the Participant refund entitlements in clause 8 (including clauses 8.5 and 8.6) and any refund, withdrawal, or cancellation commitment they have made to Participants;
  • Ensure that Adjudicators they appoint comply with clause 10.

11.2 Operational Readiness and Financial Capacity

Hosts must not open (or keep open) Entries for a Competition unless they genuinely intend the Competition to proceed and have reasonable grounds to believe it can — including a secured venue, a realistic schedule and staffing plan, any licences or permissions the event requires, insurance appropriate to an event of that nature (with evidence of that insurance provided to Comp World on reasonable request), and reasonable arrangements to meet refunds, chargebacks, venue and supplier costs, and the Competition's other financial obligations.

11.3 Responsiveness and Contactability

Hosts must keep their contact details accurate and current (see clause 3.2), respond to urgent requests from Comp World within three Business Days, and respond to other reasonable requests from Comp World within five Business Days. Hosts must also maintain at least one functioning channel through which Participants can contact them — from the time Entries open until all obligations connected with the Competition have been resolved — and must respond to reasonable Participant enquiries within a reasonable time.

11.4 Material Event Reporting

Hosts must notify Comp World promptly (and in any event within 24 hours of becoming aware) of anything that materially threatens a Competition proceeding as advertised — including loss of the venue, insolvency or serious financial difficulty, inability to pay refunds owed, loss of key staff required to operate the Competition, loss of required insurance or licences, any major legal claim relating to the Competition, or a material risk of cancellation or postponement.

11.5 Records and Cooperation

Hosts must keep reasonable records connected with each Competition (including venue and supplier arrangements, adjudicator engagements, refund records, and Participant communications) and must provide them to Comp World, and otherwise reasonably cooperate, when Comp World investigates a complaint, refund concern, or suspected breach of these Terms.

11.6 Preservation of Records

After a complaint, cancellation, investigation, dispute, or suspension, Hosts must not delete, alter, conceal, or destroy records relevant to it.

11.7 No Misleading Assurances or Avoidance

Hosts must not state that a Competition will proceed unless they have reasonable grounds for making that statement, and must not deactivate communication channels, delete public Competition information, or take any other step intended to prevent Participants or Comp World from obtaining updates about a Competition.

12. Notifications and Communications

12.1 Service Communications

By using the Service, you agree that we may contact you electronically — including by email, push notification, and in-app message — for transactional and operational purposes connected with the Service (such as Entry confirmations, payment receipts, on-the-day information, schedule changes, account notices, and updates to these Terms).

Where required by law, marketing communications will only be sent with your consent and will include a means of unsubscribing.

12.2 Direct Communications About a Competition

Comp World is ordinarily the platform provider, and communications about a Competition come from its Host. However, you agree that Comp World may communicate directly with the Participants of a Competition where reasonably necessary to protect them — including to confirm whether a Competition is proceeding, to warn of an identified material risk, to explain that a Competition or account has been restricted, suspended, or removed, to provide cancellation and refund information, to request information or evidence from affected Participants, to provide factual updates where the Host has failed to communicate, or to invite Participants to consider a Replacement Event (see clause 20). Any such communication will be factual, proportionate, limited to operational and Participant-protection purposes, and clear about whether Comp World is acting as the platform provider or as the operator of a Replacement Event.

13. Third-Party Services

The Service relies on third-party services, including (without limitation) Stripe (payments), AWS (hosting and storage), Firebase Cloud Messaging and SendGrid (notifications), and Google Maps (location data). Your use of those third-party services through the Service may also be subject to those providers' own terms. Comp World is not responsible for the acts or omissions of those third parties.

14. Mobile Applications and App Stores

If you download our mobile application from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, you agree to comply with the applicable store's terms in addition to these Terms.

14.1 Apple App Store

You acknowledge that these Terms are between you and Comp World, not between you and Apple Inc. ("Apple"), and that Apple is not responsible for the Service or its content. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Apple has no warranty obligation in respect of the Service, and any claims, losses, liabilities, damages, costs, or expenses attributable to a failure of the Service to conform to any warranty are Comp World's sole responsibility. Apple is not responsible for addressing any claims you have relating to the Service, including (a) product liability claims; (b) any claim that the Service fails to conform to any applicable legal or regulatory requirement; (c) claims arising under consumer protection or similar legislation; and (d) claims that the Service infringes a third party's intellectual property rights. You confirm that you are not located in a country subject to a US Government embargo and are not on any US Government list of prohibited or restricted parties. Apple and Apple's subsidiaries are third-party beneficiaries of these Terms and may enforce them against you.

14.2 Google Play Store

If you download the application from the Google Play Store, you agree to Google's Google Play Terms of Service. Google is not responsible for the Service or any claim relating to it.

14.3 Updates

The mobile application may be updated automatically, including by means of over-the-air updates that change features, fix issues, or update content. By using the application, you consent to those updates being applied.

15. Intellectual Property

All content, features, and functionality of the Service (other than User Content) are owned by Comp World or its licensors and are protected by intellectual property and other laws. You may not copy, modify, distribute, sell, lease, sublicense, reverse engineer, or create derivative works of any part of the Service without our prior written consent.

We grant you a personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable licence to access and use the Service in accordance with these Terms.

If you provide us with feedback, ideas, or suggestions about the Service, you grant us a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free licence to use them for any purpose, without any obligation to you.

16. Indemnity

To the maximum extent permitted by law, you indemnify Comp World, its affiliates, and their respective directors, officers, employees, and agents against all loss, damage, liability, claim, action, cost, or expense (including reasonable legal costs) arising out of or in connection with:

  • Your User Content;
  • Your use of the Service;
  • Your breach of these Terms;
  • Your breach of any law or any third-party right (including intellectual property, privacy, and music-licensing rights);
  • For Hosts, the conduct of your Competition (including venue safety, refund handling, advertising, and adjudication); and
  • For Participants, any false or misleading information you provide.

For Hosts, this indemnity includes the reasonable, evidenced costs Comp World incurs because of the Host's breach of these Terms or a Host Failure Event — including the costs of investigating a serious breach, communicating with Participants where the Host has failed to do so, administering cancellations and refunds, handling chargebacks and payment-processor penalties, preserving or reconstructing records, correcting misleading Competition information, carrying out lawful Continuity Actions, and responding to regulators or legal claims caused by the Host's conduct. Comp World may lawfully set off those amounts against Withheld Funds. A Host is not responsible under this clause for costs to the extent they are caused by Comp World's negligence, wilful misconduct, or breach of law, and Comp World's recovery of costs must be reasonable and supported by evidence.

17. Disclaimer of Warranties

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Service is provided "as is" and "as available". We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, including any warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, or that the Service will be uninterrupted, secure, accurate, or error-free.

If you are acquiring the Service for the purposes of a business, you agree that, to the maximum extent permitted by law, any consumer guarantees, warranties, or implied terms that would otherwise apply (including under the New Zealand Consumer Guarantees Act 1993) do not apply.

17.1 Event-Day Operation and Outages

The Service is an online platform and depends on internet connectivity, third-party infrastructure (including Stripe, AWS, Firebase Cloud Messaging, and SendGrid), and the operation of devices that Comp World does not control. The Service may be unavailable, slow, or impaired from time to time, including during a Competition.

Hosts acknowledge and agree that:

  • It is the Host's responsibility to plan and run the Competition, including by maintaining offline back-ups of schedules, running orders, entry lists, scoring sheets, payment records, and other materials necessary to operate the event without the Service;
  • It is the Host's responsibility to have appropriate contingency arrangements in place for any failure, outage, slowdown, or disruption of the Service, internet connectivity, the venue's network, or any third-party service the Host relies on;
  • The Service is not a substitute for the Host's own event-day procedures and is not represented to be available, complete, accurate, or fit for use at any particular time, including during a Competition; and
  • Comp World is not responsible for, and is not a provider of, the Competition itself.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Comp World is not liable to any Host, Participant, Adjudicator, sponsor, vendor, venue, or other person for any loss, damage, cost, or expense arising out of or in connection with:

  • Any unavailability, slowdown, error, bug, downtime, outage, scheduled or unscheduled maintenance, deploy, or other disruption of the Service (whether or not caused by an event within Comp World's control);
  • Any failure, delay, or error in any third-party service that the Service relies on (including Stripe, AWS, Firebase Cloud Messaging, SendGrid, Google Maps, internet service providers, mobile carriers, or venue Wi-Fi);
  • Any loss of, delay in, or inability to access schedules, running orders, entry lists, payment records, scoring data, results, reports, on-the-day links, push notifications, emails, or other Service data on or around the date of a Competition;
  • Any loss of revenue, ticket sales, sponsorship, prize-money, goodwill, or attendance, or any wasted venue, staffing, or third-party costs, suffered by a Host as a result of any matter described in this clause; or
  • Any claim brought against a Host by a Participant, Adjudicator, sponsor, venue, or third party arising out of any such matter.

The losses described in this clause 17.1 are agreed to be of the type that the parties have specifically considered and excluded, and Hosts will not argue that any such loss is "direct" loss for the purposes of clause 18.

18. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

  • Comp World is not liable for any loss, damage, cost, or expense arising out of or in connection with any unavailability, outage, slowdown, error, or disruption of the Service or any third-party service it relies on, whether occurring before, during, or after a Competition (see also clause 17.1);
  • Comp World is not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for any loss of profits, revenue, data, goodwill, or business opportunity, arising out of or in connection with the Service or these Terms; and
  • Comp World's total aggregate liability to you in respect of all claims arising out of or in connection with the Service or these Terms is limited to the greater of (a) the total Service Fees paid by or in respect of you to Comp World in the 12 months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim and (b) NZD $100.

Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes any liability that cannot lawfully be limited or excluded under the law that applies to you, including any rights you have under mandatory consumer-protection legislation (such as the New Zealand Consumer Guarantees Act 1993, the Australian Consumer Law, or equivalent legislation in your country).

19. Suspension, Termination, and Enforcement

19.1 Investigation

Comp World may investigate complaints, refund concerns, cancellation risks, and suspected breaches of these Terms, and may ask you for information and supporting documents as part of an investigation. Comp World may preserve records, communications, payment information, audit logs, and Competition data relevant to an investigation, including after an account is closed.

19.2 Grounds for Action

We may suspend, restrict, or terminate your access to the Service, disable features (including discount codes), remove Competitions, or cancel Entries if:

  • You breach these Terms;
  • We reasonably suspect fraud, misuse, or risk to other Users or to the integrity of the Service;
  • A Host Failure Event occurs or a Competition is designated as an At-Risk Competition;
  • We are required to do so by law; or
  • We discontinue all or part of the Service.

19.3 Temporary Controls

While investigating, or where reasonably necessary to manage an identified risk, Comp World may temporarily restrict features of an account — including new Entries, payouts (see clause 5.7), data exports, changes to Competition listings, discount codes, communication features, or account access — or may provide limited read-only access in place of full access. Any restriction will be reasonably connected to the identified risk.

19.4 Process and Review

Where it is reasonable and safe to do so, we will give you notice, written reasons, and an opportunity to respond or remedy the issue before suspending or terminating your account. Where the concern is serious or ongoing — including fraud, safety, security, privacy, refunds, insolvency, abandonment of a Competition, or materially misleading information — we may suspend or terminate your account, or apply the controls in clause 19.3, immediately and without notice. You may provide evidence and ask us to review any suspension or restriction. Before restoring access, Comp World may require evidence of compliance, verification information (see clause 3.5), a written refund plan, or a payout reserve.

Where reasonably necessary to prevent a person from avoiding a restriction, suspension, or termination, Comp World may apply the same measures to related accounts and Competitions — including accounts operated by or for the same person, organisation, or authorised representatives.

19.6 Effect of Termination

On termination, your right to use the Service ends, but the following clauses survive: 5 (to the extent of accrued fees and payout controls), 6, 8, 9.3, 9.4, 10 (final paragraph), 11.5, 11.6, 15, 16, 17, 17.1, 18, 20, 23, and any other clause which by its nature should survive. Termination does not release you from obligations that arose before termination — including refund, cooperation, record-preservation, indemnity, payment, and chargeback obligations.

20. Host Failure and Competition Continuity

20.1 At-Risk Designation

If a Host Failure Event occurs, Comp World may designate an affected Competition as an At-Risk Competition and take the Continuity Actions described in this clause. Any Continuity Action will be reasonably necessary and proportionate to protecting Participants.

20.2 Non-Response and Presumed Inactivity

If Comp World has reasonable grounds to be concerned about whether a Competition will proceed — for example because of Participant complaints, missed obligations under these Terms, or the Host's silence — Comp World may send the Host an urgent status request (see clause 11.3). If the Host does not substantively respond within three Business Days, Comp World may send the Host a final warning stating that the Competition will be presumed inactive if no substantive response is received within a further five Business Days. Each notice will be sent using the Host's most recent contact details, as described in clause 24 (Notices).

If the Host fails to substantively respond to both notices — at least two written requests over at least eight Business Days in total — Comp World may presume that the Host has become inactive and is not, or may not be, continuing to operate the Competition. Comp World may then designate the Competition as an At-Risk Competition and, in addition to the other measures in this clause and clauses 8.7 and 19, inform Participants factually that Comp World has been unable to contact the Host and cannot confirm whether the Competition will take place, and may repeat or update those communications as the situation develops. If the Competition is scheduled to begin before these periods can run their course, Comp World may shorten them, acting reasonably — but will always make at least two contact attempts, using more than one contact channel where practicable, before presuming a Competition inactive.

A presumption of inactivity is not a cancellation of the Competition by Comp World — only the Host can cancel their Competition, and the Host remains fully responsible for the Competition and for their obligations under these Terms (including clauses 8.5 and 8.6) throughout. If the Host re-establishes contact and provides reasonable evidence that the Competition will proceed as advertised, Comp World will review the designation and, where appropriate, lift it and update Participants. The Host agrees that Comp World is not liable to the Host for any factual, good-faith communication sent to Participants under this clause or clause 12.2, or for the consequences of a presumption of inactivity reasonably made after the notice process in this clause.

20.3 Stabilising an At-Risk Competition

For an At-Risk Competition, Comp World may:

  • Pause new Entries;
  • Restrict the Host's account and payouts (see clauses 5.7, 8.7, and 19);
  • Preserve Operational Records and other relevant records;
  • Communicate directly with Participants (see clause 12.2);
  • Contact the venue, suppliers, Adjudicators, or contractors connected with the Competition to confirm its status; and
  • Suspend, remove, or archive the Competition listing.

20.4 Replacement Events

Comp World may (but is not obliged to) offer a Replacement Event, operated by Comp World or by another operator approved by Comp World. A Replacement Event is a separate event: it will not be represented as the original Host's Competition unless Comp World is legally authorised to present it that way, and Comp World does not assume the original Host's debts, refund obligations, venue or supplier contracts, or any other obligations unless expressly agreed in writing. Venue, supplier, Adjudicator, and contractor arrangements for the original Competition do not transfer to a Replacement Event unless those parties separately agree. Comp World may offer free or discounted entry to a Replacement Event as a goodwill gesture; doing so is not an admission of any liability for the original Competition.

20.5 Participant Choice and Information Transfer

Comp World may use Participants' existing contact details to tell them about the status of an At-Risk Competition and to invite them to consider a Replacement Event. No Entry is transferred automatically: a Participant's Entry information and User Content will only be carried into a Replacement Event with the express agreement of the Participant (or, for a minor, their parent or guardian), given after being told who the replacement operator is, what information would be transferred and why, and what terms apply — except where another lawful basis clearly applies. Participants may instead be asked to re-confirm their details and re-upload music, documents, or permissions for the Replacement Event. Declining a Replacement Event does not affect a Participant's refund entitlements or any legal claim against the original Host, and participating in a Replacement Event does not automatically settle or release any claim relating to the original Competition.

20.6 Host Assistance

Where Comp World exercises its rights under this clause, the Host must reasonably assist with the orderly handover of venue, supplier, Adjudicator, and other operational arrangements, and must not obstruct or interfere with any Continuity Action.

21. Service Changes and Discontinuation

We may add to, modify, suspend, or discontinue any feature of the Service at any time. We will use reasonable efforts to give notice of material changes that adversely affect Users. We are not liable for any modification, suspension, or discontinuation of the Service.

22. Force Majeure

Neither party is liable for any failure or delay in performing its obligations under these Terms (other than payment obligations) to the extent caused by an event beyond its reasonable control, including natural disasters, pandemics, government action, civil unrest, strikes, internet or utility outages, or failures of third-party service providers.

23. Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of New Zealand, without regard to any conflict-of-laws principles. Subject to any country-specific terms in clause 27 and to any mandatory rights you have under the law of your country, you and Comp World submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the New Zealand courts. Comp World may also bring proceedings against you in the courts of the country in which you are located.

Before commencing any proceeding, you agree to first contact us at support@compworld.co.nz and to attempt in good faith to resolve the dispute informally for a period of at least 30 days.

24. General

  • Entire agreement. These Terms (together with any policy or schedule referred to in them) are the entire agreement between you and Comp World in relation to the Service and supersede all prior agreements, representations, and understandings.
  • Assignment. You may not assign or transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign or transfer our rights and obligations to any affiliate or to any party acquiring all or substantially all of our business.
  • Severability. If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid or unenforceable, that provision will be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable, and the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.
  • No waiver. Our failure to enforce any provision of these Terms is not a waiver of that or any other provision.
  • Notices. We may give you notice by email to the address associated with your account, by SMS or phone call to a number you have provided, by push notification, by in-app or portal notification, or by posting on the Service. A notice sent to the most recent contact details associated with your account is treated as validly given, even if you have not kept those details up to date (see clause 3.2). You must give us notice at support@compworld.co.nz.
  • No agency. Nothing in these Terms creates a partnership, joint venture, employment, or agency relationship between you and Comp World.
  • Acceptance. By creating an account, registering an Entry, or otherwise using the Service, you are deemed to have accepted these Terms.

25. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. If we make changes that materially and adversely affect your rights, we will give you at least 30 days' notice (by email, in-app notice, or by posting on the Service) before they take effect, together with a summary of the material changes and their effective date — unless a shorter period is reasonably required to comply with law, to reflect a change imposed by a payment or other third-party provider, or to address a material risk to Participants, to funds, or to the integrity of the Service. We may require you to expressly accept an updated version of these Terms in the app or host portal before continuing to use the Service; otherwise, your continued use of the Service after the changes take effect constitutes acceptance. If you do not accept the changes, you must stop using the Service. Previous versions of these Terms remain available on our website, and we keep a record of the version of these Terms you most recently accepted.

26. Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us at:

Comp World Email: support@compworld.co.nz

27. Country-Specific Terms

If you are located in a country for which Comp World has published country-specific terms (a "Country Schedule"), the Country Schedule applies in addition to these Terms. Where a Country Schedule conflicts with these Terms, the Country Schedule prevails for Users in that country, but only to the extent of the conflict.

Comp World may publish, update, or withdraw Country Schedules from time to time as the Service expands. Country Schedules are available on our website.

Where no Country Schedule has been published for your country, these Terms apply in full, subject to any rights you have under the mandatory laws of your country that cannot be excluded by agreement.