Family game night can cause more conflict than togetherness. Think about it: all that negotiating over the rules, the lack of fair play and, even, the capriciousness of the dice often generates friction at the dining room table. Monopoly, for example, spawned so much vitriol within Britain’s Royal Family that Queen Elizabeth II banned it. 

That’s right. Monopoly, a worldwide favorite since 1935, says the Library of Congress, a product which has sold more than 250 million sets and a game that half a billion people worldwide enjoy, is board game non grata at Buckingham Palace.

Many might agree with the Monarch’s edict. According to Online Casino, which conducted a survey with 1,000 Americans, 47.7 percent find Monopoly their most argumentative board game experience, with Scrabble (18 percent) coming in second. Monopoly is also number one for “games most likely to cause hurt feelings” at 61 percent, and “games most likely to end with a flipped board or thrown pieces” at 67.5 percent. Maybe it’s all those “Don’t pass go, don’t collect $200” and “Go to jail” moments? Or do those hot-heated matches using capitalist values disturb the Brits … after all, that’s why no one in Russia, China and Cuba is allowed to play it, according to The Library of Congress.

There are some things Royals simply don't do

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