rules of the game

English

Noun

rules of the game pl (plural only)

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see rules,‎ of,‎ the,‎ game.
2. (figurative) set of implied or unspoken principles that govern a facet of behavior, especially one involving strategy

Further reading

• “the rules of the game”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.