What's in a Game?

[Mr. Carnelian]

Going by what I said, poker would be a game, because you can influence the state of the game (and also metagame) to increase your own odds of winning. Roulette is not a game because it does not allow you to influence the state of the game in any meaningful way. Sure, you can decide when the ball starts spinning around the wheel but no human has the capacity to in any way predict the result based on the initial state of the game.

I would call roulette a game of chance. I would also argue that you DO have influence, over how much and where you bet, which can have a significant impact on how much you win or lose.

I would say that if it was made to be a game, and people call it a game, then it's a game. A chessboard and pieces could be a piece of art if it was called art and hung up in a gallery. But, if it's called a game and is used as a game, then it's a game. The context is the important thing.