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

My fiancée tells of a childhood memory of Monopoly in which her father her against trading other 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.

Letting Others Win

Although done with good intentions, letting someone win can be dishonest or patronizing, as though saying, You're not good enough. It can be an effective way of getting someone to like the game more, but there are consequences. If you let someone win, they won't really win or learn much from the experience. Although allowing young children to win the first rounds of a game can build their confidence, research shows that letting kids win continuously can negatively impact their decision-making skills over the long term.

I don't mind losing, as long as I gain the lessons that losing can teach me. Perhaps it's better to teach fellow players the mechanisms and tactics that can put them on a path to victory. It's more satisfying for everyone when victory is real.