Level playing field
Etymology
A sports metaphor picturing a literally flat pitch, so neither side plays uphill or downhill; it entered business and policy language in the late 20th century. It refers to fairness of conditions, not of results. Debates over regulation, trade, and taxes constantly invoke it.
noun phrase · /LEV-el PLAY-ing feeld/
Conditions in which no competitor has a built-in, unfair advantage.
What it names
The ideal of structural fairness — equal rules and starting conditions, whatever the outcome.
Example
Small sellers argued the platform’s fees tilted the field and asked regulators for a level playing field.
Related idea
A level playing field equalizes the conditions, whereas a handicap deliberately unbalances them to offset a known difference in strength.