When creating any gameplay that requires a Buy-in for players to participate, the coins of those who accept the buy-in are placed in an escrow account until the conclusion of the contest or tournament.
When a player accepts a contest and a buy-in is required, their coins (the amount of the buy-in) and the coins of others involved in the contest are placed in escrow. The number of players that accept the buy-in contribute to the total amount of the winning payout. i.e. If there is a 100 coin buy-in to participate in gameplay, and 10 players have accepted the buy-in, then the payout would be 1000 coins + any departmental bonuses that were established at the time the gameplay was created.
A bonus from the department may also be established to be given to the winner(s). Coins from the department are then also placed in the same escrow until the conclusion of the contest.
When a winner or winners have been determined, the coins are then removed from the escrow and distributed accordingly.
When a player declines a buy-in, there are not involved in gameplay. This means that no coins are removed from their resources and they will not be included in any portion of the gameplay winnings or bonuses.