Ethics of Gaming: The Unspoken Rules & Norms at the Table

My fiancée tells of a childhood memory of Monopoly in which her father admonished her against trading with other players when it was not her turn. 

- Bayard Catron

She explained it was part of the game and even pointed this out in the rulebook, but he still shook his head. "It's not ethical," he said. But what's ethical in this context? Monopoly is a game about bankrupting your fellow players by extracting as much rent from them as possible. Making sneaky deals with each other is on point.

Ethics are the standards humans set for ourselves to prescribe correct behavior in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues. The term comes from the Greek ethos, meaning "custom" or "character." As originally used by Aristotle, it referred to one's character or personality, especially in its balance between passion and caution. Today, ethos is used to refer to the characteristic practices, values, or spirit of a person, organization, culture, or community.

Ethos of a Board Game Group

When you are asked, "Wanna play a game?" and you accept, your agreement indicates you're in the compact: the time-honored unwritten ethical covenant of games. When we sit down to play, we each bring our own unique set of values to the table. But we make a tacit agreement to abide by the rules of the game and accept the outcome when we play on a level playing field. Although this compact is never stated explicitly, it's understood.