diff --git a/server/src/services/chatService.js b/server/src/services/chatService.js
index 93069de6..26330031 100644
--- a/server/src/services/chatService.js
+++ b/server/src/services/chatService.js
@@ -75,10 +75,10 @@ function broadcastMessage(message) {
 
 function handleIncoming({ text } = {}, socket, cb = () => {}) {
   const role = getRole(socket);
-  if (role === 'spectator') {
-    cb({ error: 'Spectators cannot chat' });
-    return;
-  }
+  // if (role === 'spectator') {
+  //   cb({ error: 'Spectators cannot chat' });
+  //   return;
+  // }
   const clean = typeof text === 'string' ? text.trim() : '';
   if (!clean) {
     cb({ error: 'Message required' });
diff --git a/server/src/services/nicknameService.js b/server/src/services/nicknameService.js
index c44d7f6b..a4611185 100644
--- a/server/src/services/nicknameService.js
+++ b/server/src/services/nicknameService.js
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@ function getNickname(socket) {
 function setNickname(socket, nickname) {
   if (!socket) return null;
   const role = getRole(socket);
-  if (role === 'spectator') {
-    throw new Error('Spectators cannot set nicknames');
-  }
+  // if (role === 'spectator') {
+  //   throw new Error('Spectators cannot set nicknames');
+  // }
   const value = sanitizeNickname(nickname);
   if (!value) {
     throw new Error('Nickname required');