pay-to-play

[ pley-tuh-pley ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

relating to or denoting the policy or practice of paying a fee to play a game at the time the game is played:
If you can’t afford a club membership, find a place that offers pay-to-play handball.
relating to or denoting an unethical or illicit arrangement in which payment is made by those who want certain privileges or advantages in such arenas as business, politics, sports, and entertainment:
a pay-to-play system encouraged by drug corporations.

First recorded in 1925–30

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