Supreme Court strikes down tariffs that hit board game publishers

“Relief!” was Jamey Stegmaier’s immediate reaction after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down sweeping tariffs that had rattled the board game industry. He said the decision eased a daily fear that tariff taxes could “skyrocket on a whim tomorrow.” On Feb. 20 the Court, in a 6-3 ruling, held that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not give the president authority to impose broad tariffs.

The decision invalidates the 145% duty placed on Chinese imports under that authority and restores tariff rates to what they were before the administration invoked IEEPA in April 2025. For publishers such as Stonemaier — maker of Wingspan, Scythe and Viticulture — the ruling removes uncertainty that had threatened print runs, crowdfunding projects and retail pricing.

The April tariff had meant $14.50 in duties for every $10 of manufacturing, leaving a recent production run essentially trapped in China with a $1.5 million tariff bill and threatening to add as much as $5 million to $10 million in 2024 production costs.

United States

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