What is .play?
ICANN's records put the delegation of .play on June 20, 2015. Like most of the newer endings, it was applied for in the 2012 New gTLD Program round and its registry agreement was signed on March 5, 2015.
Charleston Road Registry Inc. operates a large portfolio of 46 TLDs, including .ads, .android, .app, .boo and .cal.
Under the hood, the root zone points to 5 name servers for .play, every one of them reachable over IPv6. The delegation is DNSSEC-signed, so resolvers can verify that answers for .play haven't been tampered with on the way. Registration data is published over RDAP.
Same registry, other endings
45 other TLDs share this operator.
.play FAQ
What does .play mean?
.play is a generic top-level domain named for the word "play", and it's aimed at sports & games. It doesn't belong to any country.
What is .play used for?
.play is mostly used for sports & games. Like most gTLDs, it's a label of intent rather than a guarantee — check the site, not just the ending.
What country is .play?
None. .play is a generic top-level domain, so it isn't tied to any country.
Who owns the .play domain extension?
Charleston Road Registry Inc. operates .play as its registry, under a registry agreement with ICANN.
When was .play created?
.play was delegated to the DNS root zone on June 20, 2015.
Is .play a valid domain?
Yes. .play is an active top-level domain in the DNS root zone, delegated in 2015, so .play addresses work in every browser.
Can I buy a .play domain?
.play names are sold through ICANN-accredited registrars. Some gTLDs restrict who can register, so read Charleston Road Registry Inc.'s policy if you're unsure.
Is .play DNSSEC-signed?
Yes, the root zone holds a DS record for .play.
Sources
Data from IANA root zone version 2026102000. Last changed April 11, 2025. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
