Cheating at Monopoly? Hasbro unveils a digital referee, the Cheatbot

Last year, the makers of Monopoly made news by kicking three vintage tokens off the board and introducing three new ones. This year, they're trying something different — a digital "Cheatbot" that will communicate via Facebook Messenger and dole out punishments to game players accused of cheating.

Hasbro, the manufacturer of Monopoly, says it got the idea for a promotion tied to cheating after a survey showed that close to half of the people questioned admitted to some form of cheating while playing the game. Apparently Monopoly cheating is a thing. There are websites and You Tube videos offering tips for cheating at Monopoly.

The Cheatbot, which will feature the top hat wearing game icon Mr. Monopoly, will be available for just one month, starting today and ending February 16. It will use a digital chatbot, a digital program designed to simulate conversation, to interact with players.

Players can go to the Monopoly Facebook page (Facebook.com/Monopoly) and click "Message" to access the Monopoly Cheatbot. There, they can message Mr. Monopoly, report a cheater or confess to cheating, and the cheater will receive a punishment. The punishments could be "Go directly to jail", "Pay $200" or other classic Monopoly consequences. Players will receive a digital card with the punishment that they can share on social media.

Hasbro didn't really explain why the Cheatbot will only be available for one month, other than to say that Mr. Monopoly "does have other responsibilities he needs to attend to." Another reason could be that the Cheatbot promotion is tied to something Hasbro will unveil at Toy Fair, which begins Feb. 17,  the day after the Cheatbot feature ends.

"With nearly one out of every two Monopoly players bending - or breaking - the rules, we knew it was time to put an end to the cheating, and what better way to reach our fans than by leveraging the innovative Facebook Messenger technology," Jonathan Berkowitz, senior vice president of Hasbro Gaming said in a statement announcing the Cheatbot.

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The company said it hopes the Cheatbot will create "more engagement and dialogue with our loyal fans online" and also "bring Mr. Monopoly to life" through the Cheatbot technology. 

A spokeswoman for Hasbro said the company does not have any formal or financial relationship with Facebook for the Cheatbot promotion.

Here, according to Hasbro, are the most common Monopoly cheaters:

• The Negotiator: Whether it’s borrowing from the bank or property swapping, this player smooth talks their way through the game until victory is in sight. A classic manipulator whose deceitful intent is overshadowed by their charm.
• The Thief: This player doesn’t always walk into the game dishonestly, but that’s how they walk out. Known offenses include stealing cash, lying about Chance Cards, and avoiding rent payments.
• The Game Ender: Winning or losing — patience isn’t a strong suit.  Maybe they’re seeking justice or just being a sore loser; it’s hard to tell when their top will blow! Known offenses include board flipping, throwing money, and tossing tokens.
• The Skipper: The player who can’t help but advantageously accelerate their game by skipping spaces or other people’s turns when they aren’t paying attention.  Always calm and self-composed.