Pay-t0-play is essentially the practice of exchanging money for access to or the privilege of participating in certain activities. Sometimes it is in reference to the actions of government officials or politicians to award benefits to a business or individual. For example, the owner of a road construction company might give a politician some money – maybe through campaign contributions or maybe just cash in a suitcase – to make sure his company gets a big government contract to build a new highway. There are all sorts of campaign finance and other laws to try and prevent this practice.