Ethics in a Poker Room?

Ethics exist everywhere.  We probably have an ethical dilemma everyday, but we just go about and deal with it without giving too much thought.  

Ethical business practices have been important to me since I was old enough to drink alcohol.  Back then, as responsible young adults my friends and I won't drink Coors Products because they were heavily invested in South Africa.  I kept that ban up until about 10 years ago when I chastised someone for ordering a Coors product.  I was reminded that Apartheid ended in 1994.  Anyway, I don't support Tim Horton's or Nestle because I feel they engage in unethical business practices. Sometimes, it is hard to do because Nestle is so diversified.  Tim's is much easier to avoid because their products are pretty crappy.  

So, are there ethics in a poker room?  In a sport where "bluffing" or lying is essentially a big part of the game?  Actually, bluffing is a skill and a risk.  For poker players, there really is only one ethical principle.  Don't cheat.  And, don't blow smoke in someone's face.  Even casinos that still allow smoking do not allow it at a poker room.  

Still, most poker rooms have a code of conduct or a detailed rules page that outlines what they essentially feel is ethical conduct for the players.  

What about the management of the poker room?  What about their ethics?  A government run poker room needs to be run ethically in order to meet the mission statement set out for them by their governing body.  That is where many poker rooms fall short.  The reason is that they don't teach ethics to their employees.  In our world, we are all accountable and transparent in our decisions and most of us have jobs in which "if it is not written down, it didn't happen."  New dealers get training in dealing cards and the rules of poker.  They practice situations of dealing.  No discussion of ethics, which means that new employees think it isn't important.  People who are good at dealing become promoted to Inspectors or Managers.  The problem is that being proficient in dealing doesn't translate to being a manager.  Managers need specific training in management in order to become leaders.  

There are organizational ethics that apply in poker rooms.  That is basically how you treat your employees.  It is easy to spot a poker room that lacks in organizational ethics.  The employees join in when the players bash the room.  They are quick to share gossip.  They complain about each other rather than supporting each other.  As just one example, I recall when there was a poker room at McPhillips Casino.  When Inspectors go on breaks and relieve each other, there is usually some sort of sharing of information, as there is in most professions.  One Inspector had such personal disdain for another Inspector that he would literally walk away when the other Inspector was giving report.  At the end of his covering, he would also walk away without sharing any information.  This juvenile and unprofessional behavior put the room at risk.  If you can't atleast treat your co-workers with minimal respect and professional courtesy, then you shouldn't be in a position of authority, especially at a place where no many things can go wrong in an instant.  It was surprising when this individual received a promotion.  

Regardless of organizational ethics, there are four overall ethical principles that one should practice in all aspects of life: beneficence; nonmaleficence; justice; and veracity.  Using these guiding principles, I will apply an ethical lens to my partner's situation of being shorted by a petty amount of money for cashing in a tournament.  I deliberately am calling it a petty amount of money to make it clear that my objection to the way this was handled has nothing to do with money, but with principle.  

Beneficence essentially means do good.  What good was accomplished here?  My partner did not receive his rightful winnings and has been told that the only way to get it back is by the poker room essentially threatening another player with a ban from the room because of their error.  That action penalizes both players.  No one is feeling good about something that is not either of their fault.  Fault is a word that I loathe to use and I am only using it because that is their word.  Fault is a mindset of finding what is wrong and not looking for what is right.  In this situation, I am aware that the employee who made a simple mistake may have been subject to discipline.  That is also wrong.  This particular employee is one that performs his duties with excellence and goes above and beyond.  Why risk his morale over this petty matter.  No good could come out of it.  

Nonmaleficence means that if you can't do good, at least, do no harm.  Well, bad feelings now exist.  People tend to act out when they have their feelings hurt.  They have time to take inventory of all the other times that their feelings have been hurt.  It is inevitable, hurt feelings lead to more hurt feelings.  There will be ripple effects.  

Justice is a sense of fairness or people getting what they deserve.  This whole thing started with an injustice.  That was ok, but what added to it, was not being able to find a way to right the injustice.  There are certain people who try to look for solutions and there are certain people who look to keep the status quo.  We are on day 7 and no communication on how to make things right.  

Veracity means telling the truth.  I don't think there is anyone in the world that thinks that Manitoba's largest casino has no means of making this right and giving my partner $61.  Even if they have to retrieve it from the player who was paid incorrectly, I think they are in a position to do so.  Once you think that you are not being told the truth, the ugly consequence is that you don't believe other things as well.  

This action doesn't look well through an ethical lens.  

It also doesn't look right through the eyes of most children.  My grandson is 3 years old and he already knows to admit his mistakes, take responsibility, and make things right.  "I was bad" he says and offers a cuddle to make up.  With that common sense and common practice, maybe he should be a consultant.  

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