Board games can be subject to copyright law and intellectual property rights, which means they are not automatically in the public domain unless their copyrights have expired or been explicitly released by the creators or rights holders. Many of the classic board games we know today still enjoy legal protection due to their ongoing popularity and commercial viability. However, there are also instances where certain board game designs or mechanics may have entered the public domain either by expiration of copyright or voluntary release. In these cases, anyone can reproduce and distribute those specific game elements without seeking permission or paying royalties.