If the rules are solid, 'gaming the system' means they're rule-abiding members. If there's a problem with that, then improve the rules and don't blame the users. Reducing transparency because you're relying on tricks is a great way for users to begin hating your mods.
Hating mods is not necessarily a problem. If you boot a user, you don't care about their opinion of you. Mods select the community, and their goal is a comfortable place for that community.
Booting easy cases should be easy. There will also be edge cases, and almost by definition there's no easy way to make the rules crystal clear for edge cases. You can't be consistent because consistency doesn't exist. The best you can hope for is to encourage users to avoid getting close to edge cases. For those who are uncomfortable with that, there are many unmoderated forums elsewhere.
It's all a question of the the site owner's goals. Maximum traffic and maximum content are not everyone's goals. Often they are seeking a community to deal with that community's concerns, and to shut out the overall problems of the world that attract the most attention.
Unfortunately, rules for humans don't work that way. It may be helpful to read up on "work to rule" strikes - they provide good context on what kinds of problems happen when people start trying to act up while staying within the letter of the rules.
