From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishzero-sum gameˌzero-sum ˈgame noun [singular] EQUALa situation in which you receive as much money or advantages as you give away Diplomatic negotiations often aim at a zero-sum game.
Examples from the Corpus
zero-sum game• This appears to be a zero-sum game, because what one developing country gains is at the expense of another.• Law is not, in most cases, a zero-sum game.• The Alliance Party insists that the conflict is not a zero-sum game but very few people are impressed by it.• Job loss is not a zero-sum game, where they win and we lose.• Above all, this new science was not a zero-sum game.From Longman Business Dictionaryzero-sum gameˌzero-ˈsum game noun [countable] American English a situation in which a balance is achieved between something such as money received and something given awayThe utility business is a zero-sum game - if local governments chopped $ 8 million off their power bills, that fiscal load would just be dumped onto the backs of other ratepayers. 