3 ms·
Isn't this gambling?
by ericls 6y ago
Isn't this gambling?
- smabie 6y agoBuying dolls is gambling? I'm gonna go with.. no? And even if we contort the definition and say it is, does it matter?
- ericls 6y agoIt feel it might not be fair for other participants in gambling industry that are more strictly regulated. It's like selling drugs that are not yet categorized as drugs.
- theshrike79 6y agoThey’re not dolls like Barbies are. You buy them completely sight unseen, like CCG cards or Kinder eggs. They literally come in eggs you open and collect.
- bmn__ 6y agoGP refers to the collecting aspect mentioned in the article. Whether it's gambling or not depends on how it's implemented precisely. When a consumer cannot know the probability of obtaining a rare item with a purchase, and must spend an unknown quantity of money to achieve the goal, then – so the argument goes – it is an exploitative manipulation of the mind and breaks anti-gambling laws and anti-consumer regulations. The digital equivalent ("loot-boxes") has been brought to court in Belgium and restricted/regulated in the EU since. Regulated collecting by purchase shows the probabilities, and allows obtaining a rare item or set for a fixed, predetermined price.
- doc_gunthrop 6y agoIn that case we can extrapolate that and apply the argument against things like a pack of baseball cards or MTG cards. Everyone wants that MVP player or the Black Lotus, but you never know what you'll get until you open the pack.
- smabie 6y agoSo is the silicon lottery gambling?
- bmn__ 6y agoIANAL but I find this comparison strenuous because a chip manufacturer lacks the intention and culpability of exploiting the consumer. http://enwp.org/silicon_lottery http://enwp.org/silicon_lottery says: > the potential for overclocking of a product is not typically tested during the binning process
- N_A_T_E 6y agoI had a similar thought. Regardless of whether it is legal gambling, the mystery box aspect seems to be a gamification which relies on taking money for each turn to play. Each turn is a random chance at getting something super valuable (a rare, new or previously unowned toy). Looks like the same mechanism as the baseball or Pokémon card packs. I wonder if there is an underground trading market, maybe just ebay.