diff --git a/src/spice2x/CMakeLists.txt b/src/spice2x/CMakeLists.txt
index f5ee805..a7b6285 100644
--- a/src/spice2x/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/spice2x/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -3,6 +3,11 @@ cmake_policy(SET CMP0069 NEW)
 project(spicetools)
 include(CheckIPOSupported)
 
+option(WITH_SCARD "Build spice2x with SCard support" ON)
+if(WITH_SCARD)
+	add_definitions(-DWITH_SCARD)
+endif()
+
 # set language level
 set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 20)
 set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED TRUE)
@@ -357,7 +362,6 @@ set(SOURCE_FILES ${SOURCE_FILES}
         external/cardio/cardio_runner.cpp
 
         # external misc
-        external/scard/scard.cpp
         external/stackwalker/stackwalker.cpp
         external/tinyxml2/tinyxml2.cpp
         external/http-parser/http_parser.c
@@ -613,6 +617,9 @@ set(SOURCE_FILES ${SOURCE_FILES}
         util/dependencies.cpp
         util/deferlog.cpp
 )
+if(WITH_SCARD)
+	list(APPEND SOURCE_FILES external/scard/scard.cpp)
+endif()
 
 source_group(TREE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR} PREFIX "Source Files" FILES ${SOURCE_FILES})
 
@@ -622,8 +629,11 @@ source_group(TREE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR} PREFIX "Source Files" FILES ${SOUR
 set(RESOURCE_FILES build/manifest.manifest build/manifest.rc build/icon.rc cfg/Win32D.rc)
 add_executable(spicetools_spice ${SOURCE_FILES} ${RESOURCE_FILES})
 target_link_libraries(spicetools_spice
-        PUBLIC d3d9 ws2_32 version comctl32 shlwapi iphlpapi hid secur32 setupapi psapi winmm winscard winhttp
+        PUBLIC d3d9 ws2_32 version comctl32 shlwapi iphlpapi hid secur32 setupapi psapi winmm winhttp
         PRIVATE fmt-header-only discord-rpc imgui hash-library minhook imm32 dwmapi CpuFeatures::cpu_features)
+if(WITH_SCARD)
+	target_link_libraries(spicetools_spice PUBLIC winscard)
+endif()
 set_target_properties(spicetools_spice PROPERTIES PREFIX "")
 set_target_properties(spicetools_spice PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME "spice")
 
@@ -637,8 +647,11 @@ endif()
 set(RESOURCE_FILES build/manifest.manifest build/manifest.rc build/icon.rc cfg/Win32D.rc)
 add_executable(spicetools_spice_laa ${SOURCE_FILES} ${RESOURCE_FILES})
 target_link_libraries(spicetools_spice_laa
-        PUBLIC d3d9 ws2_32 version comctl32 shlwapi iphlpapi hid secur32 setupapi psapi winmm winscard winhttp
+        PUBLIC d3d9 ws2_32 version comctl32 shlwapi iphlpapi hid secur32 setupapi psapi winmm winhttp
         PRIVATE fmt-header-only discord-rpc imgui hash-library minhook imm32 dwmapi CpuFeatures::cpu_features)
+if(WITH_SCARD)
+	target_link_libraries(spicetools_spice_laa PUBLIC winscard)
+endif()
 set_target_properties(spicetools_spice_laa PROPERTIES PREFIX "")
 set_target_properties(spicetools_spice_laa PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME "spice_laa")
 target_compile_definitions(spicetools_spice_laa PRIVATE SPICE32_LARGE_ADDRESS_AWARE=1)
@@ -655,9 +668,11 @@ add_executable(spicetools_spice64 ${SOURCE_FILES} ${RESOURCE_FILES})
 
 # do NOT link against: mf, mfplat, mfreadwrite; otherwise unity games will break
 target_link_libraries(spicetools_spice64
-        PUBLIC d3d9 ws2_32 version comctl32 shlwapi iphlpapi hid secur32 setupapi psapi winmm winscard winhttp mfuuid strmiids dxva2
+        PUBLIC d3d9 ws2_32 version comctl32 shlwapi iphlpapi hid secur32 setupapi psapi winmm winhttp mfuuid strmiids dxva2
         PRIVATE fmt-header-only discord-rpc imgui hash-library minhook imm32 dwmapi CpuFeatures::cpu_features)
-
+if(WITH_SCARD)
+	target_link_libraries(spicetools_spice64 PUBLIC winscard)
+endif()
 set_target_properties(spicetools_spice64 PROPERTIES PREFIX "")
 set_target_properties(spicetools_spice64 PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME "spice64")
 target_compile_definitions(spicetools_spice64 PRIVATE SPICE64=1)
@@ -673,8 +688,11 @@ set(SOURCE_FILES ${SOURCE_FILES} launcher/options.h launcher/options.cpp)
 set(RESOURCE_FILES cfg/manifest.manifest cfg/manifest.rc cfg/icon.rc cfg/Win32D.rc)
 add_executable(spicetools_cfg WIN32 ${SOURCE_FILES} ${RESOURCE_FILES})
 target_link_libraries(spicetools_cfg
-        PUBLIC ws2_32 version comctl32 shlwapi iphlpapi hid secur32 setupapi psapi winmm winscard winhttp strmiids
+        PUBLIC ws2_32 version comctl32 shlwapi iphlpapi hid secur32 setupapi psapi winmm winhttp strmiids
         PRIVATE fmt-header-only discord-rpc imgui hash-library minhook imm32 dwmapi CpuFeatures::cpu_features)
+if(WITH_SCARD)
+	target_link_libraries(spicetools_cfg PUBLIC winscard)
+endif()
 set_target_properties(spicetools_cfg PROPERTIES PREFIX "")
 set_target_properties(spicetools_cfg PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME "spicecfg")
 target_compile_definitions(spicetools_cfg PRIVATE SPICETOOLS_SPICECFG_STANDALONE=1)
diff --git a/src/spice2x/launcher/launcher.cpp b/src/spice2x/launcher/launcher.cpp
index c51c425..fe955d9 100644
--- a/src/spice2x/launcher/launcher.cpp
+++ b/src/spice2x/launcher/launcher.cpp
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@
 #include "cfg/screen_resize.h"
 #include "easrv/easrv.h"
 #include "external/cardio/cardio_runner.h"
+#ifdef WITH_SCARD
 #include "external/scard/scard.h"
+#endif
 #include "games/game.h"
 #include "games/io.h"
 #include "games/bbc/bbc.h"
@@ -817,6 +819,7 @@ int main_implementation(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     for (auto &sextet : options[launcher::Options::SextetStreamPort].values_text()) {
         sextet_devices.emplace_back(sextet);
     }
+#ifdef WITH_SCARD
     if (options[launcher::Options::HIDSmartCard].value_bool()) {
         WINSCARD_CONFIG.cardinfo_callback = eamuse_scard_callback;
         scard_threadstart();
@@ -836,6 +839,7 @@ int main_implementation(int argc, char *argv[]) {
             WINSCARD_CONFIG.add_padding_to_felica = true;
         }
     }
+#endif
     if (options[launcher::Options::CardIOHIDReaderOrderFlip].value_bool()) {
         CARDIO_RUNNER_FLIP = true;
     }
@@ -2315,8 +2319,10 @@ int main_implementation(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     // debug hook
     debughook::detach();
 
+#ifdef WITH_SCARD
     // scard
     scard_fini();
+#endif
 
     // stop reader thread in case it was running
     stop_reader_thread();
diff --git a/src/spice2x/launcher/options.cpp b/src/spice2x/launcher/options.cpp
index eab7dec..8fb72dd 100644
--- a/src/spice2x/launcher/options.cpp
+++ b/src/spice2x/launcher/options.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@
 
 #include <fstream>
 
+#ifndef WITH_SCARD
+#define WITH_SCARD 0
+#endif
+
 static const std::vector<std::string> CATEGORY_ORDER_API = {
     "SpiceCompanion and API",
     "API (Serial)",
@@ -1385,21 +1389,27 @@ static const std::vector<OptionDefinition> OPTION_DEFINITIONS = {
         .name = "scard",
         .desc = "Detects and uses HID smart card readers for card input. Developed for ACR122U reader",
         .type = OptionType::Bool,
+        .hidden = !WITH_SCARD,
         .category = "NFC Card Readers",
+        .disabled = !WITH_SCARD,
     },
     {
         .title = "HID SmartCard Order Flip",
         .name = "scardflip",
         .desc = "Flips the order of detection for P1/P2",
         .type = OptionType::Bool,
+        .hidden = !WITH_SCARD,
         .category = "NFC Card Readers",
+        .disabled = !WITH_SCARD,
     },
     {
         .title = "HID SmartCard Order Toggle",
         .name = "scardtoggle",
         .desc = "Toggles reader between P1/P2 using the NumLock key state",
         .type = OptionType::Bool,
+        .hidden = !WITH_SCARD,
         .category = "NFC Card Readers",
+        .disabled = !WITH_SCARD,
     },
     {
         // HIDSmartCardIdConvert
@@ -1413,12 +1423,14 @@ static const std::vector<OptionDefinition> OPTION_DEFINITIONS = {
             "For example, abcd56780123 is converted to e00401abcd567801 on card in. This results in different card numbers so "
             "be careful when connecting to servers!",
         .type = OptionType::Enum,
+        .hidden = !WITH_SCARD,
         .category = "NFC Card Readers",
         .elements = {
             {"legacy", "Use cards as-is"},
             {"fix", "Fix bad cards only"},
             {"all", "Force all cards"},
         },
+        .disabled = !WITH_SCARD,
     },
     {
         // SextetStreamPort
@@ -2844,4 +2856,4 @@ launcher::GameVersion launcher::detect_gameversion(const std::string &ea3_user,
     // error
     log_warning("options", "unable to find /ea3/soft/model in {}", ea3_path);
     return detect_gameversion_ident(bootstrap_user);
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/src/spice2x/launcher/options.h b/src/spice2x/launcher/options.h
index 0cbee5d..6599da7 100644
--- a/src/spice2x/launcher/options.h
+++ b/src/spice2x/launcher/options.h
@@ -281,4 +281,4 @@ namespace launcher {
 
     std::string detect_bootstrap_release_code(const std::string& bootstrap_user);
     GameVersion detect_gameversion(const std::string& ea3_user, const std::string& bootstrap_user);
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}