This is the second Culture novel, a World Book Night (2012) edition found in a charity shop in Porthmadog, I think. Anyhoo a good find so soon after reading Consider Phlebus

(17/04/18) Spoiler Another epic tale about the Culture, Banks's imagined advanced human post-technology society, in its ongoing mission to teach everyone in the Galaxy how to live and govern...no laws, no money, and a reliance on technology, advancement and equality of AI machines, over power, politics and subjugation.

The 'game player' of the title gets wrapped up in the game of his life, manipulated by a drone to carry out the plans of the secretive Culture advance cadre, the SC (Special Circumstances, part of diplomatic/military Contact group) in a far-off empire Azad. Azad is both the violent, profligate, unequal society, with parallels to Earth(?), and also the game that dictates who holds the power and controls the masses. But little does he know what he is playing for and how high the stakes really are!

Adding to the growing shelf of 'shares' for visitors.