diff --git a/pkg/game/game-service_test.go b/pkg/game/game-service_test.go
index 3798de4..1b0b0d8 100644
--- a/pkg/game/game-service_test.go
+++ b/pkg/game/game-service_test.go
@@ -12,19 +12,17 @@ func TestCreate(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 
 	tests := []struct {
-		name           string
-		inputPlayerIDs []string
-		inputName      string
-		inputAdminID   string
-		mockError      *[]error
-		expectingError bool
+		name            string
+		inputPlayerIDs  []string
+		inputAdminID    string
+		mockUpsertError *[]error
+		expectingError  bool
 	}{
 		{
-			name:           "simple create",
-			inputPlayerIDs: []string{"1", "2"},
-			inputName:      "test",
-			inputAdminID:   "1",
-			mockError:      &[]error{nil},
+			name:            "simple create",
+			inputPlayerIDs:  []string{"1", "2"},
+			inputAdminID:    "1",
+			mockUpsertError: &[]error{nil},
 		},
 		{
 			name: "duplicate player IDs",
@@ -32,9 +30,14 @@ func TestCreate(t *testing.T) {
 				"1",
 				"1",
 			},
-			inputName:      "test",
-			inputAdminID:   "1",
-			mockError:      &[]error{nil},
+			inputAdminID:    "1",
+			mockUpsertError: &[]error{nil},
+			expectingError:  true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:           "admin not in game",
+			inputPlayerIDs: []string{"1", "2"},
+			inputAdminID:   "3",
 			expectingError: true,
 		},
 		{
@@ -43,17 +46,16 @@ func TestCreate(t *testing.T) {
 				"1",
 				"2",
 			},
-			inputName:      "test",
-			inputAdminID:   "1",
-			mockError:      &[]error{errors.New("failed to upsert")},
-			expectingError: true,
+			inputAdminID:    "1",
+			mockUpsertError: &[]error{errors.New("failed to upsert")},
+			expectingError:  true,
 		},
 	}
 
 	for _, test := range tests {
 		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			mockCol := &db.MockCollection[Game]{
-				MockUpsertErr: test.mockError,
+				MockUpsertErr: test.mockUpsertError,
 			}
 
 			ds := &Service{
@@ -68,7 +70,7 @@ func TestCreate(t *testing.T) {
 				}
 			} else {
 				if result.Name != test.name {
-					t.Errorf("expected name %s, got %s", test.inputName, result.Name)
+					t.Errorf("expected name %s, got %s", test.name, result.Name)
 				}
 				if result.AdminID != test.inputAdminID {
 					t.Errorf("expected admin id %s, got %s", test.inputAdminID, result.AdminID)
diff --git a/pkg/game/game-utils.go b/pkg/game/game-utils.go
index 56e6ce5..63ccde5 100644
--- a/pkg/game/game-utils.go
+++ b/pkg/game/game-utils.go
@@ -129,6 +129,18 @@ func NewGame(playerIDs []string, name string, adminID string) (Game, error) {
 		return Game{}, err
 	}
 
+	// Verify the admin is in the list of players
+	adminFound := false
+	for _, playerID := range playerIDs {
+		if playerID == adminID {
+			adminFound = true
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	if !adminFound {
+		return Game{}, errors.New("admin not found in players")
+	}
+
 	// Randomise the order of the players
 	shuffledPlayerIDs := shuffle(playerIDs)
 
@@ -192,3 +204,11 @@ func containsAllUnique(referenceSlice, targetSlice []CardName) bool {
 	}
 	return true
 }
+
+// compare checks if targetSlice and referenceSlice are equivalent
+func compare(referenceSlice, targetSlice []CardName) bool {
+	if len(referenceSlice) != len(targetSlice) {
+		return false
+	}
+	return containsAllUnique(referenceSlice, targetSlice)
+}
diff --git a/pkg/game/game_test.go b/pkg/game/game_test.go
index e01c41f..3483474 100644
--- a/pkg/game/game_test.go
+++ b/pkg/game/game_test.go
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ func TestGame_SelectSuit(t *testing.T) {
 				if err != nil {
 					t.Errorf("expected no error, got %v", err)
 				}
-				if !containsAllUnique(state.Cards, test.cards) {
+				if !compare(state.Cards, test.cards) {
 					t.Errorf("expected player to have all of the selected cards %v, got %v", test.cards, state.Cards)
 				}
 			}