diff --git a/config/locales/ar.json b/config/locales/ar.json
index 3d01d020..a7b6a0ff 100644
--- a/config/locales/ar.json
+++ b/config/locales/ar.json
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
     "end": "لم يفز أي أحد في هذه الجولة, هل تريدون لعب مرة اخرى؟",
     "win": ":tada: فاز {player} في هذه الجولة",
     "expire": ":x: **انتهت** اللعبة ... بسبب عدم تفاعل",
+    "in-progress": "you cannot start another game, please wait for current one to end.",
     "waiting-ai": ":robot: الروبوت يلعب, انتضر رجاءً...",
     "ai": "الروبوت"
   }
+}
diff --git a/config/locales/de.json b/config/locales/de.json
index 344b0828..daddba2a 100644
--- a/config/locales/de.json
+++ b/config/locales/de.json
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
     "end": "Kein Sieger, unentschieden! Nochmal?",
     "win": ":tada: {player} hat gewonnen!",
     "expire": ":x: Spiel ist **abgelaufen**... da war wohl keiner mehr da.",
+    "in-progress": "you cannot start another game, please wait for current one to end.",
     "waiting-ai": ":robot: KI ist am Zug, bitte warten...",
     "ai": "KI"
   }
diff --git a/config/locales/en.json b/config/locales/en.json
index 5525460d..30763a8c 100644
--- a/config/locales/en.json
+++ b/config/locales/en.json
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
     "end": "No one won the game, it's a tie! Let's try again?",
     "win": ":tada: {player} has won the game!",
     "expire": ":x: Game has **expired**... maybe because of one user inactivity.",
+    "in-progress": "you cannot start another game, please wait for current one to end.",
     "waiting-ai": ":robot: AI is playing, please wait...",
     "ai": "the AI"
   }
diff --git a/config/locales/es.json b/config/locales/es.json
index 3357ea0b..54a0991f 100644
--- a/config/locales/es.json
+++ b/config/locales/es.json
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
     "end": "Nadie ganó el juego, ¡es un empate! ¿Intentemoslo de nuevo?",
     "win": ":tada: {player} ha ganado el juego!",
     "expire": ":x: El juego ha **caducado**... quizás debido a la inactividad de un usuario.",
+    "in-progress": "you cannot start another game, please wait for current one to end.",
     "waiting-ai": ":robot: La IA está jugando, por favor espere...",
     "ai": "La IA"
   }
diff --git a/config/locales/fr.json b/config/locales/fr.json
index 90e864bf..4aa6c020 100644
--- a/config/locales/fr.json
+++ b/config/locales/fr.json
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
     "end": "Personne n'a gagné la partie, c'est une égalité ! On réessaie ?",
     "win": ":tada: {player} a gagné la partie !",
     "expire": ":x: La partie vient **d'expirer**... peut-être à cause de l'inactivité d'un joueur.",
+    "in-progress": "vous ne pouvez pas démarrer de partie, attendez que celle en cours se termine.",
     "waiting-ai": ":robot: L'IA joue, merci de patienter...",
     "ai": "l'IA"
   }
diff --git a/config/locales/id.json b/config/locales/id.json
index aaf2bac9..9fcd03a7 100644
--- a/config/locales/id.json
+++ b/config/locales/id.json
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
     "end": "Tidak ada yang menang, Ini seri! Coba lagi?",
     "win": ":tada: {player} Memenangkan permainan",
     "expire": ":x: Game telah **Kadaluarsa**... Mungkin salah satu pemain tidak aktif",
+    "in-progress": "you cannot start another game, please wait for current one to end.",
     "waiting-ai": ":robot: AI Sedang bermain, tunggu sebentar...",
     "ai": "sang AI"
   }
diff --git a/config/locales/it.json b/config/locales/it.json
index 37223270..34f54711 100644
--- a/config/locales/it.json
+++ b/config/locales/it.json
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
     "end": "Che peccato, non ha vinto nessuno! Vuoi rigiocare?",
     "win": ":tada: {player} ha vinto!",
     "expire": ":x: Il tempo è **scaduto**... forse perché i giocatori non sono più online.",
+    "in-progress": "you cannot start another game, please wait for current one to end.",
     "waiting-ai": ":robot: L'IA sta' giocando, aspetta il tuo turno...",
     "ai": "l'IA"
   }
diff --git a/config/locales/nl.json b/config/locales/nl.json
index b28d20a7..2da9a446 100644
--- a/config/locales/nl.json
+++ b/config/locales/nl.json
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
     "end": "Gelijk spel! Niemand heeft gewonnen! Nog een keer?",
     "win": ":tada: {player} heeft gewonnen!",
     "expire": ":x: Het spel is **verlopen**... Misschien is iemand niet actief?",
+    "in-progress": "you cannot start another game, please wait for current one to end.",
     "waiting-ai": ":robot: De AI is aan het spelen, eventjes geduld...",
     "ai": "AI"
   }
diff --git a/config/locales/pl.json b/config/locales/pl.json
index bb936bc1..cc6c826c 100644
--- a/config/locales/pl.json
+++ b/config/locales/pl.json
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
     "end": "Remis! Nikt nie wygrał. Może spróbujcie jeszcze raz?",
     "win": ":tada: {player} wygrał grę w kółko i krzyżyk!",
     "expire": ":x: Gra **wygasła**... Może przez nieaktywność któregoś z graczy?",
+    "in-progress": "you cannot start another game, please wait for current one to end.",
     "waiting-ai": ":robot: Trwa ruch Sztucznej Inteligencji, proszę czekać...",
     "ai": "Sztuczna Inteligencja"
   }
diff --git a/config/locales/pt-br.json b/config/locales/pt-br.json
index 175870a7..e5e7a495 100644
--- a/config/locales/pt-br.json
+++ b/config/locales/pt-br.json
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
     "end": "Ninguém ganhou o jogo, empate! Quer tentar novamente?",
     "win": ":tada: {player} venceu a partida!",
     "expire": ":x: O jogo foi **expirado**... Talvez por causa de inatividade de um usuário.",
+    "in-progress": "you cannot start another game, please wait for current one to end.",
     "waiting-ai": ":robot: AI está jogando, espere um momento...",
     "ai": "a AI"
   }
diff --git a/config/locales/ru.json b/config/locales/ru.json
index efc997e4..e40bf5fa 100644
--- a/config/locales/ru.json
+++ b/config/locales/ru.json
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
     "end": "Ничья! Может быть снова попробуем?)",
     "win": ":tada:{player} Выиграл игру!",
     "expire": ":x: Игра была досрочно завершена... Может потому что никто не активил?",
+    "in-progress": "you cannot start another game, please wait for current one to end.",
     "waiting-ai": ":robot: Компьютер думает, подождите...",
     "ai": "Кампудахтр"
   }
diff --git a/config/locales/tr.json b/config/locales/tr.json
index 05caef3c..b32f9f86 100644
--- a/config/locales/tr.json
+++ b/config/locales/tr.json
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
     "end": "Maçı kimse kazanamadı, berabere kaldı!",
     "win": ":tada: {player} oyunu kazandı!",
     "expire": ":x: Oyunun süresi **doldu**... Bir kullanıcının hareketsizliğinden olabilir",
+    "in-progress": "you cannot start another game, please wait for current one to end.",
     "waiting-ai": ":robot: Yapay Zeka oynuyor, lütfen bekle...",
     "ai": "Yapay Zeka"
   }
diff --git a/config/locales/vi.json b/config/locales/vi.json
index 1c9146bc..db3fe1ce 100644
--- a/config/locales/vi.json
+++ b/config/locales/vi.json
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
     "end": "Không ai thắng màn thách đấu này. Thử lại chứ?",
     "win": ":tada: {player} đã thắng ván đấu!",
     "expire": ":x: Ván đấu đã **hết giờ**... Bởi vì một người đã không tương tác.",
+    "in-progress": "you cannot start another game, please wait for current one to end.",
     "waiting-ai": ":robot: Máy đang chơi, chờ chút nha...",
     "ai": "Máy"
   }
diff --git a/src/__tests__/GameStateManager.test.ts b/src/__tests__/GameStateManager.test.ts
index 71886039..f1bc91ea 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/GameStateManager.test.ts
+++ b/src/__tests__/GameStateManager.test.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import MessagingTunnel from '@bot/messaging/MessagingTunnel';
 import GameStateManager from '@bot/state/GameStateManager';
 import GameStateValidator from '@bot/state/GameStateValidator';
 import TicTacToeBot from '@bot/TicTacToeBot';
+import AI from '@tictactoe/AI';
 import Entity from '@tictactoe/Entity';
 import { GuildMember } from 'discord.js';
 
@@ -46,11 +47,21 @@ describe('GameStateManager', () => {
             const invited = <GuildMember>{};
             await manager.requestDuel(tunnel, invited);
             expect(spyValidate).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+            expect(spyValidate).toHaveBeenCalledWith(tunnel);
+        });
+
+        it('should check if a new game is possible', async () => {
+            jest.spyOn(validator, 'isInteractionValid').mockReturnValue(true);
+            const spyValidate = jest.spyOn(validator, 'isNewGamePossible');
+            const invited = <GuildMember>{};
+            await manager.requestDuel(tunnel, invited);
+            expect(spyValidate).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
             expect(spyValidate).toHaveBeenCalledWith(tunnel, invited);
         });
 
         it('should create a duel request and send it into the messaging tunnel', async () => {
             jest.spyOn(validator, 'isInteractionValid').mockReturnValue(true);
+            jest.spyOn(validator, 'isNewGamePossible').mockReturnValue(true);
             const spyReplyWith = jest.spyOn(tunnel, 'replyWith');
             await manager.requestDuel(tunnel, <GuildMember>{});
             expect(duelRequest).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
@@ -59,6 +70,7 @@ describe('GameStateManager', () => {
 
         it('should setup user cooldown if enabled in configuration', async () => {
             jest.spyOn(validator, 'isInteractionValid').mockReturnValue(true);
+            jest.spyOn(validator, 'isNewGamePossible').mockReturnValue(true);
 
             // by default, no cooldown
             await manager.requestDuel(tunnel, <GuildMember>{});
@@ -77,19 +89,46 @@ describe('GameStateManager', () => {
             const spyValidate = jest.spyOn(validator, 'isInteractionValid');
             await manager.createGame(tunnel);
             expect(spyValidate).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-            expect(spyValidate).toHaveBeenCalledWith(tunnel, undefined);
+            expect(spyValidate).toHaveBeenCalledWith(tunnel);
+        });
+
+        it('should check if a new game is possible', async () => {
+            jest.spyOn(validator, 'isInteractionValid').mockReturnValue(true);
+            const spyValidate = jest.spyOn(validator, 'isNewGamePossible');
+            const invited = <GuildMember>{};
+            await manager.createGame(tunnel, invited);
+            expect(spyValidate).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+            expect(spyValidate).toHaveBeenCalledWith(tunnel, invited);
         });
 
         it('should create a game board and send it into the messaging tunnel', async () => {
             jest.spyOn(validator, 'isInteractionValid').mockReturnValue(true);
+            jest.spyOn(validator, 'isNewGamePossible').mockReturnValue(true);
             const spyReplyWith = jest.spyOn(tunnel, 'replyWith');
 
-            await manager.createGame(tunnel);
+            const invited = <GuildMember>{};
+            await manager.createGame(tunnel, invited);
 
             expect(manager.gameboards).toHaveLength(1);
             expect(gameBoard).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+            expect(gameBoard).toHaveBeenCalledWith(manager, tunnel, invited, expect.anything());
             expect(spyReplyWith).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
         });
+
+        it('should create a game board with AI if no invited member', async () => {
+            jest.spyOn(validator, 'isInteractionValid').mockReturnValue(true);
+            jest.spyOn(validator, 'isNewGamePossible').mockReturnValue(true);
+
+            await manager.createGame(tunnel);
+
+            expect(gameBoard).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+            expect(gameBoard).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+                manager,
+                tunnel,
+                expect.any(AI),
+                expect.anything()
+            );
+        });
     });
 
     describe('Method: endGame', () => {
diff --git a/src/__tests__/GameStateValidator.test.ts b/src/__tests__/GameStateValidator.test.ts
index 27d4161a..bd5401d1 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/GameStateValidator.test.ts
+++ b/src/__tests__/GameStateValidator.test.ts
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ describe('GameStateValidator', () => {
             }
             manager.bot.configuration.simultaneousGames = simultaneousGames;
             const invited = sameInvited ? tunnel.author : undefined;
-            expect(validator.isInteractionValid(tunnel, invited)).toBe(expected);
+            expect(validator.isNewGamePossible(tunnel, invited)).toBe(expected);
         }
     );
 });
diff --git a/src/bot/command/GameCommand.ts b/src/bot/command/GameCommand.ts
index 5b5cec23..6ee9dfee 100644
--- a/src/bot/command/GameCommand.ts
+++ b/src/bot/command/GameCommand.ts
@@ -100,7 +100,9 @@ export default class GameCommand {
                     inviter.user.id !== invited.user.id &&
                     invited.permissionsIn(tunnel.channel).has('VIEW_CHANNEL')
                 ) {
-                    await this.manager.requestDuel(tunnel, invited);
+                    if (!(await this.manager.requestDuel(tunnel, invited))) {
+                        await tunnel.replyWith({ content: localize.__('game.in-progress') }, true);
+                    }
                 } else {
                     await tunnel.replyWith({ content: localize.__('duel.unknown-user') }, true);
                 }
@@ -108,7 +110,9 @@ export default class GameCommand {
                 await tunnel.replyWith({ content: localize.__('duel.no-bot') }, true);
             }
         } else {
-            await this.manager.createGame(tunnel);
+            if (!(await this.manager.createGame(tunnel))) {
+                await tunnel.replyWith({ content: localize.__('game.in-progress') }, true);
+            }
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/bot/entity/DuelRequest.ts b/src/bot/entity/DuelRequest.ts
index 1bf6a378..d890ec77 100644
--- a/src/bot/entity/DuelRequest.ts
+++ b/src/bot/entity/DuelRequest.ts
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ export default class DuelRequest {
     private async challengeAnswered(accepted: boolean): Promise<void> {
         if (accepted) {
             await this.tunnel.end();
-            return this.manager.createGame(this.tunnel, this.invited);
+            await this.manager.createGame(this.tunnel, this.invited);
         } else {
             return this.tunnel.end({
                 allowedMentions: { parse: [] },
diff --git a/src/bot/state/GameStateManager.ts b/src/bot/state/GameStateManager.ts
index afc501e8..b534fed2 100644
--- a/src/bot/state/GameStateManager.ts
+++ b/src/bot/state/GameStateManager.ts
@@ -49,9 +49,14 @@ export default class GameStateManager {
      *
      * @param tunnel messaging tunnel that initiated the request
      * @param invited member invited to be part of the duel
+     * @returns true if duel request has been handled, false otherwise
      */
-    public async requestDuel(tunnel: MessagingTunnel, invited: GuildMember): Promise<void> {
-        if (this.validator.isInteractionValid(tunnel, invited)) {
+    public async requestDuel(tunnel: MessagingTunnel, invited: GuildMember): Promise<boolean> {
+        if (this.validator.isInteractionValid(tunnel)) {
+            if (!this.validator.isNewGamePossible(tunnel, invited)) {
+                return false;
+            }
+
             const duel = new DuelRequest(
                 this,
                 tunnel,
@@ -70,6 +75,8 @@ export default class GameStateManager {
                 this.memberCooldownEndTimes.set(tunnel.author.id, Date.now() + cooldown * 1000);
             }
         }
+
+        return true;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -77,9 +84,14 @@ export default class GameStateManager {
      *
      * @param tunnel messaging tunnel that initiated the game creation
      * @param invited member invited to be part of the game, undefined means the AI
+     * @returns true if game request has been handled, false otherwise
      */
-    public async createGame(tunnel: MessagingTunnel, invited?: GuildMember): Promise<void> {
-        if (this.validator.isInteractionValid(tunnel, invited)) {
+    public async createGame(tunnel: MessagingTunnel, invited?: GuildMember): Promise<boolean> {
+        if (this.validator.isInteractionValid(tunnel)) {
+            if (!this.validator.isNewGamePossible(tunnel, invited)) {
+                return false;
+            }
+
             const gameboard = new GameBoard(
                 this,
                 tunnel,
@@ -94,6 +106,8 @@ export default class GameStateManager {
             const message = await tunnel.replyWith(gameboard.content);
             await gameboard.attachTo(message);
         }
+
+        return true;
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/bot/state/GameStateValidator.ts b/src/bot/state/GameStateValidator.ts
index 7a1c6c90..4a2db479 100644
--- a/src/bot/state/GameStateValidator.ts
+++ b/src/bot/state/GameStateValidator.ts
@@ -55,13 +55,21 @@ export default class GameStateValidator {
      * Checks if an interaction through a messaging tunnel is valid or not.
      *
      * @param tunnel messaging tunnel object
-     * @param invited invited guild member, can be undefined
      * @returns true if the interaction is valid, false otherwise
      */
-    public isInteractionValid(tunnel: MessagingTunnel, invited?: GuildMember): boolean {
+    public isInteractionValid(tunnel: MessagingTunnel): boolean {
+        return this.isMessagingAllowed(tunnel) && this.isMemberAllowed(tunnel.author);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Checks if creating a new game is possible based on channel state and author.
+     *
+     * @param tunnel messaging tunnel object
+     * @param invited invited guild member, can be undefined
+     * @returns true if a game can be created, false otherwise
+     */
+    public isNewGamePossible(tunnel: MessagingTunnel, invited?: GuildMember): boolean {
         return (
-            this.isMessagingAllowed(tunnel) &&
-            this.isMemberAllowed(tunnel.author) &&
             // Check if one of both entites is already playing
             !this.manager.gameboards.some(gameboard =>
                 [tunnel.author, invited].some(