diff --git a/Mage.Client/src/main/java/mage/client/game/GamePanel.java b/Mage.Client/src/main/java/mage/client/game/GamePanel.java
index 9b61573a4c..37bd78db9c 100644
--- a/Mage.Client/src/main/java/mage/client/game/GamePanel.java
+++ b/Mage.Client/src/main/java/mage/client/game/GamePanel.java
@@ -305,10 +305,14 @@ public final class GamePanel extends javax.swing.JPanel {
         this.players.clear();
         this.playersWhoLeft.clear();
 
-        jLayeredPane.remove(abilityPicker);
+        if (jLayeredPane!= null) {
+            jLayeredPane.remove(abilityPicker);
+        }
         this.abilityPicker.cleanUp();
 
-        jLayeredPane.remove(DialogManager.getManager(gameId));
+        if (jLayeredPane != null) {
+            jLayeredPane.remove(DialogManager.getManager(gameId));
+        }
         DialogManager.removeGame(gameId);
 
         if (pickNumber != null) {
diff --git a/Mage.Common/src/main/java/mage/interfaces/MageServer.java b/Mage.Common/src/main/java/mage/interfaces/MageServer.java
index 2b505a128a..1e2a81bd64 100644
--- a/Mage.Common/src/main/java/mage/interfaces/MageServer.java
+++ b/Mage.Common/src/main/java/mage/interfaces/MageServer.java
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ public interface MageServer {
 
     void joinGame(UUID gameId, String sessionId) throws MageException;
 
-    void watchGame(UUID gameId, String sessionId) throws MageException;
+    boolean watchGame(UUID gameId, String sessionId) throws MageException;
 
     void stopWatching(UUID gameId, String sessionId) throws MageException;
 
diff --git a/Mage.Common/src/main/java/mage/remote/SessionImpl.java b/Mage.Common/src/main/java/mage/remote/SessionImpl.java
index 90e68afb91..cd6979594e 100644
--- a/Mage.Common/src/main/java/mage/remote/SessionImpl.java
+++ b/Mage.Common/src/main/java/mage/remote/SessionImpl.java
@@ -1016,8 +1016,7 @@ public class SessionImpl implements Session {
     public boolean watchGame(UUID gameId) {
         try {
             if (isConnected()) {
-                server.watchGame(gameId, sessionId);
-                return true;
+                return server.watchGame(gameId, sessionId);
             }
         } catch (MageException ex) {
             handleMageException(ex);
diff --git a/Mage.Server/src/main/java/mage/server/MageServerImpl.java b/Mage.Server/src/main/java/mage/server/MageServerImpl.java
index 039a25a81a..e207bce0d7 100644
--- a/Mage.Server/src/main/java/mage/server/MageServerImpl.java
+++ b/Mage.Server/src/main/java/mage/server/MageServerImpl.java
@@ -879,14 +879,23 @@ public class MageServerImpl implements MageServer {
     }
 
     @Override
-    public void watchGame(final UUID gameId, final String sessionId) throws MageException {
-        execute("watchGame", sessionId, () -> {
-            Optional<Session> session = SessionManager.instance.getSession(sessionId);
-            if (!session.isPresent()) {
-                logger.error("Session not found : " + sessionId);
-            } else {
-                UUID userId = session.get().getUserId();
-                GameManager.instance.watchGame(gameId, userId);
+    public boolean watchGame(final UUID gameId, final String sessionId) throws MageException {
+        return executeWithResult("watchGame", sessionId, new ActionWithResult<Boolean>() {
+            @Override
+            public Boolean execute() throws MageException {
+                Optional<Session> session = SessionManager.instance.getSession(sessionId);
+                if (!session.isPresent()) {
+                    logger.error("Session not found : " + sessionId);
+                    return false;
+                } else {
+                    UUID userId = session.get().getUserId();
+                    return GameManager.instance.watchGame(gameId, userId);
+                }
+            }
+
+            @Override
+            public Boolean negativeResult() {
+                return false;
             }
         });
     }
diff --git a/Mage.Server/src/main/java/mage/server/TableController.java b/Mage.Server/src/main/java/mage/server/TableController.java
index 4850c95668..3b76975680 100644
--- a/Mage.Server/src/main/java/mage/server/TableController.java
+++ b/Mage.Server/src/main/java/mage/server/TableController.java
@@ -605,6 +605,7 @@ public class TableController {
             table.initGame();
             GameOptions gameOptions = new GameOptions();
             gameOptions.rollbackTurnsAllowed = match.getOptions().isRollbackTurnsAllowed();
+            gameOptions.bannedUsers = match.getOptions().getBannedUsers();
             match.getGame().setGameOptions(gameOptions);
             GameManager.instance.createGameSession(match.getGame(), userPlayerMap, table.getId(), choosingPlayerId, gameOptions);
             String creator = null;
diff --git a/Mage.Server/src/main/java/mage/server/game/GameController.java b/Mage.Server/src/main/java/mage/server/game/GameController.java
index 92ac8d1907..fc4359f6c3 100644
--- a/Mage.Server/src/main/java/mage/server/game/GameController.java
+++ b/Mage.Server/src/main/java/mage/server/game/GameController.java
@@ -391,14 +391,22 @@ public class GameController implements GameCallback {
         return true;
     }
 
-    public void watch(UUID userId) {
+    public boolean watch(UUID userId) {
         if (userPlayerMap.containsKey(userId)) {
             // You can't watch a game if you already a player in it
-            return;
+            return false;
         }
         if (watchers.containsKey(userId)) {
             // You can't watch a game if you already watch it
-            return;
+            return false;
+        }
+        if (!isAllowedToWatch(userId)) {
+            // Dont want people on our ignore list to stalk us
+            UserManager.instance.getUser(userId).ifPresent(user -> {
+                user.showUserMessage("Not allowed", "You are banned from watching this game");
+                ChatManager.instance.broadcast(chatId, user.getName(), " tried to join, but is banned", MessageColor.BLUE, true, ChatMessage.MessageType.STATUS, null);
+            });
+            return false;
         }
         UserManager.instance.getUser(userId).ifPresent(user -> {
             GameSessionWatcher gameWatcher = new GameSessionWatcher(userId, game, false);
@@ -407,6 +415,7 @@ public class GameController implements GameCallback {
             user.addGameWatchInfo(game.getId());
             ChatManager.instance.broadcast(chatId, user.getName(), " has started watching", MessageColor.BLUE, true, ChatMessage.MessageType.STATUS, null);
         });
+        return true;
     }
 
     public void stopWatching(UUID userId) {
@@ -1011,4 +1020,13 @@ public class GameController implements GameCallback {
         }
         return sb.append(']').toString();
     }
+
+    public boolean isAllowedToWatch(UUID userId) {
+        Optional<User> user = UserManager.instance.getUser(userId);
+        if (user.isPresent()) {
+            return !gameOptions.bannedUsers.contains(user.get().getName());
+        }
+        return false;
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/Mage.Server/src/main/java/mage/server/game/GameManager.java b/Mage.Server/src/main/java/mage/server/game/GameManager.java
index ba72920585..fe36171175 100644
--- a/Mage.Server/src/main/java/mage/server/game/GameManager.java
+++ b/Mage.Server/src/main/java/mage/server/game/GameManager.java
@@ -117,11 +117,12 @@ public enum GameManager {
         }
     }
 
-    public void watchGame(UUID gameId, UUID userId) {
+    public boolean watchGame(UUID gameId, UUID userId) {
         GameController gameController = gameControllers.get(gameId);
         if (gameController != null) {
-            gameController.watch(userId);
+            return gameController.watch(userId);
         }
+        return false;
     }
 
     public void stopWatching(UUID gameId, UUID userId) {
diff --git a/Mage/src/main/java/mage/game/GameOptions.java b/Mage/src/main/java/mage/game/GameOptions.java
index 1739fe0e2f..b9091f0906 100644
--- a/Mage/src/main/java/mage/game/GameOptions.java
+++ b/Mage/src/main/java/mage/game/GameOptions.java
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 package mage.game;
 
-import java.io.Serializable;
 import mage.constants.PhaseStep;
 
+import java.io.Serializable;
+import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.Set;
+
 /**
  * Game options for Mage game. Mainly used in tests to configure
  * {@link GameImpl} with specific params.
@@ -42,4 +45,10 @@ public class GameOptions implements Serializable {
      * If true, players can rollback turn if all players agree
      */
     public boolean rollbackTurnsAllowed = true;
+
+    /**
+     * Names of users banned from participating in the game
+     */
+    public Set<String> bannedUsers = Collections.emptySet();
+
 }