Class 28: Games & Sports
Class 28 covers things people play with and play sport with: toys, games, puzzles and playing cards, video game consoles, gym and sports equipment, fishing tackle, and decorations for Christmas trees. It’s the eighth most used of the 45, with 48,560 UK registrations between September 2021 and September 2026, which is about 55% more registrations than the average class. That makes it one of the busier goods classes, so a clearance search matters here.
What class 28 covers
This is the official Nice heading, in full:
Games, toys and playthings; video game apparatus; gymnastic and sporting articles; decorations for Christmas trees.
In practice there are four groups. Toys and games, from plush toys and dolls to board games, card games and jigsaw puzzles. Video game hardware, meaning consoles, handheld consoles, arcade machines and controllers. Sports and fitness equipment, including balls, golf clubs, weights, exercise machines, skis, surfboards and fishing tackle. And Christmas tree decorations, along with artificial Christmas trees, party balloons and Christmas crackers.
When you definitely need class 28
- You sell toys, dolls, plush toys or toy vehicles
- You publish board games, card games, playing cards or jigsaw puzzles
- You make video game consoles, controllers or arcade machines
- You sell sports or fitness equipment, such as balls, weights, exercise machines or golf clubs
- You sell fishing tackle, skis, surfboards, skateboards or skates
- You sell Christmas tree decorations, party balloons or Christmas crackers
When you might need class 28 without realising
The class is bigger than the toy aisle, and several kinds of business land here without expecting to.
- Pet brands. Pet toys are class 28, not a pet class. Toys for pets appear on 4,630 registrations and pet toys on 4,128. The bed the dog sleeps on is class 20.
- Gyms and personal trainers with their own kit. Branded resistance bands, weights or exercise balls are class 28 goods, whichever class the training sits in. Exercise weights are on 1,269 registrations and exercise bands on 1,111.
- Party and seasonal brands. Party balloons (2,167), paper party hats and Christmas crackers are all class 28, as are decorations for Christmas trees, on 2,878 registrations.
- Games studios with physical merchandise. The downloadable game is class 9, but a console, controller or board game version of it is class 28.
Not sure whether your product is a toy, sports equipment or something else? The free class tools below show you where businesses like yours actually file, or you can give us a call.
What businesses actually claim in class 28
These are the terms that turn up most often in recent UK class 28 registrations:
| Term | Marks using it | Share of class 28 | How common |
|---|---|---|---|
| toys | 9,871 | 20.3% | Most use this |
| board games | 6,686 | 13.8% | Most use this |
| plush toys | 6,418 | 13.2% | Most use this |
| games | 5,826 | 12.0% | Recommended |
| toy vehicles | 5,099 | 10.5% | Recommended |
| card games | 4,699 | 9.7% | Recommended |
| playing cards | 4,674 | 9.6% | Recommended |
| toys for pets | 4,630 | 9.5% | Recommended |
| jigsaw puzzles | 4,539 | 9.3% | Recommended |
| dolls | 4,506 | 9.3% | Recommended |
The table is almost all toys and games. Toys lead on 9,871 registrations, ahead of board games (6,686) and plush toys (6,418). Sport barely features at the top: the broad gymnastic and sporting articles is on 3,404 registrations, well down the list.
That’s partly because sports brands tend to name specific products, such as golf balls (1,546), fishing tackle (2,650) or exercise weights, rather than one general term. Both approaches work. The general term gives breadth, and the specific ones show exactly what you sell.
What class 28 does not cover
Downloadable games and game software are class 9. The console is class 28, but the game you download to play on it is class 9, where computer games appear on 3,491 registrations and downloadable computer game software on 1,889. A games company usually needs both.
Sports clothing, footwear and protective kit are elsewhere. Sportswear and trainers are class 25, with sports clothing on 17,023 registrations. Sports helmets and swimming goggles are class 9. Sports bags are class 18, on 4,407 registrations, although golf bags and ski bags are class 28.
Bicycles are class 12. A bicycle is a vehicle, so it’s class 12, where bicycles appear on 2,407 registrations. The exception is the stationary exercise bike, which is class 28 as fitness equipment. Camera drones are class 12 too, while toy drones are class 28.
Running tournaments, classes and events is class 41. Selling a game or a football is class 28. Organising leagues, coaching, fitness classes or gaming events is a class 41 service, where sports training appears on 2,511 registrations.
Christmas tree lights are class 11. Decorations for the tree are class 28, but electric lights for Christmas trees are class 11, on 1,167 registrations. Artificial Christmas wreaths are class 26.
Where these terms actually live
| Term | Belongs to | Marks using it |
|---|---|---|
| computer games | Class 9 | 3,491 |
| downloadable computer game software | Class 9 | 1,889 |
| electric lights for christmas trees | Class 11 | 1,167 |
| bicycles | Class 12 | 2,407 |
| books | Class 16 | 12,919 |
| sports bags | Class 18 | 4,407 |
| sports clothing | Class 25 | 17,023 |
| sports training | Class 41 | 2,511 |
Each of these is a separate registration. A mark in class 28 does not cover any of them.
The mistake I see most often
The mistake is treating a game and everything around it as one product. Class 28 protects the physical game or equipment. It doesn’t cover the app, the tournament or the rulebook sold on its own.
Take a company that makes a strategy board game, releases a digital version, sells an expansion guidebook separately and runs a national tournament. The board game is class 28. The digital version is class 9. The guidebook is class 16, where books appear on 12,919 registrations, and the tournament is class 41. File only class 28 and the name is protected on the box, but not on the app most new players will meet first.
The practical fix is to list what you sell and what you do, and check each one. A UK application can’t have classes added later, so it’s worth getting the list right at the start.
Is class 28 the right class for you?
If you sell toys, games, puzzles, playing cards, video game hardware, sports or fitness equipment, fishing tackle or Christmas decorations under your own brand, class 28 is very likely yours. If you also sell downloadable games, sportswear, bags or bicycles, or run events and coaching, look at classes 9, 25, 18, 12 and 41 as well.
Our free class tools build a specification from wording already accepted on real UK filings, so you can see what businesses like yours claim before you commit.
Common questions about class 28
Are video games class 9 or class 28?
Both, depending on the form. Video game consoles, handheld consoles, controllers and arcade machines are class 28. The game itself, as downloadable software or an app, is class 9. A games brand selling hardware and software usually claims both, and class 41 as well if it runs online gaming services.
Is a bicycle class 28?
No. Bicycles, electric bikes and bicycle parts are class 12, as vehicles. A stationary exercise bike is the exception: it’s fitness equipment, so it’s class 28. Cycling clothing is class 25 and cycling helmets are class 9.
Are pet toys class 28?
Yes. Pet toys, including toys containing catnip, are class 28 like any other toy. The rest of a pet range spreads out: beds and kennels are class 20, collars and leads are class 18, and pet food is class 31.
Are Christmas decorations class 28?
Decorations for Christmas trees are, along with artificial Christmas trees, Christmas crackers and Christmas stockings. Electric lights for the tree are class 11, artificial wreaths are class 26, and a real tree is class 31. A seasonal brand selling the full set usually needs several classes.
About these figures. Last researched 23 September 2026, from UK trademarks registered between September 2021 and September 2026 whose entry in this class is still active. That is current drafting practice rather than the historical register. Terms shown are those most frequently used in that period.
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