Because Racquetball is a fully evolved sport, a concise set of rules exists to govern its play. The rules include information on how the game is played, how the ball is put into play and how points are scored. There are sections and diagrams to describe the playing enclosure and surfaces. As well, rules for dealing with the various situations that occur during the course of a game or match are dealt with.

To better understand how the rules work, a series of FAQ’s appears below.

Where do the rules come from?
Racquetball Canada, the parent organization and chief governing body for the sport of Racquetball in Canada, are the administrators for the Official Rules of the sport. A national committee with representatives from various parts of the country meets periodically to review the Official Rules and consider rule changes.

What function do the official rules play?
The official rules serve as a dispute resolving mechanism for official games of Racquetball. During tournament play, all rules are in effect.

Does everyone play by the Official Rules?
Strictly speaking, the answer is no. It should be noted, though, that ALL players should play by the Official Rules. However, in reality, the vast majority of games and matches played daily across Canada are of the recreational nature, and are played for fun, without Referee’s. This can lead to situations where the opponents must govern themselves. Since some of the rules deal with situations that only apply during an official match (such as referee’s official duties), they are not considered during recreational play.

Players just beginning the sport may find it difficult to wade through the entire rule book to understand its implications. For the most part, though, those who play recreationally use the Official Rules as a guide on how to address the various situations that occur, as they occur. It’s sort of like on the job training, but it’s fun.

How are the rules presented on this site?
The rules are presented in 2 sections and detail the Official of Play, and Recreational Rules of Play.

Official Rules: The index for the Official Rules of Racquetball by Racquetball Canada are presented. Clicking on any of the index items in Red will take you to the appropriate section of the rules on the Racquetball Canada Website.

Recreational Rules: Some of the Official Rules of Racquetball Canada have been reproduced on this site (with permission). Along with the official rules are comments by an ERA Official knowledgeable with recreational play in the Edmonton area. The comments state the rules intent in simple language, and may refer to examples etc. Remember, they are a layman’s guide, not the Official Rules. Always refer to the Official rules when in doubt.


To view to the Official Rules of Racquetball Canada, click here

To view Recreational Rules, click here