Is the Pokemon TCG a form of Gambling?

Is the Pokemon TCG a form of gambling?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 6 10.9%

  • No!

    Votes: 49 89.1%
  • Total voters
    55
K

Ka$h Money

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Hey guys, got a big question.

As my title says: Is the Pokemon TCG a form of gambling?

You may think this seems ridiculous but this is the reasoning:

You pay to enter a tournament. You hope to win something in the tournament which will give you a monetary gain.

Now due to my faith, gambling is forbidden, hence if this logic is true, pokemon is forbidden.

Now I really want the outcome to be that it isnt forbidden as I really enjoy playing the game.

Please leave detailed responses. I want to hear your view with evidence so It can make sense to me.

Thanks
 
You don't pay to enter all tournaments. You only pay to enter pre releases so it's not really gambling. Plus if you're good at the game and you KNOW you're good then it's not gambling at all. Chances are you'll win a prize if you have a good deck. :D The only gambling part I can see about it is buying booster packs and paying for the cards for your deck.
 
In the UK, you have to pay for all tournaments. Entry fees and whatnot.

Still the same views?

EDIT: Btw you always win a prize no matter what happens. So its usually $8 entry fee in the UK. Even if your last you will get at least a $4 booster.
 
Yeah, the only tourneys you pay for are to get the cards. I think you're fine :)
didn't see you above me... I still think it's not gambling. You're paying to have some fun. Depending on how you do, you get a reward. Not betting on how you'll do.
 
OK Well in the US pokemon is not considered gambling so maybe there but not here and If they r cheap then no its not gambling at all
 
If you are paying a minimal fee, for which you get a prize out of no matter what, then no. Think of it like going to the movie theatres; you pay x amount of dollars to watch a movie as a source of entertainment. You aren't putting any of your possessions on the line, so really you don't stand to lose anything by entering a tournament. Gambling would involve some risk of loss (in terms of things you own) on your part, which in the TCG is pretty much non existent. It'd be different if, say, the winner of a match kept the opponents prizes afterward.
 
If Pokemon is gambling, everything in life is exactly that. Think about it, when you drive a car you pay for gas hoping you won't get in a car accident. When you go to a party you "pay" time hoping you will have fun.
 
pokemon isnt a game of chance (thats what gambling is) its a game of strategy and skill so no pokemon isnt gambling
 
If you look at it your way, sure it can be viewed as Gambling.

But look at it this way;

You pay to play just like paying to go to the movies.
At the end of the day, if your lucky and did well, you EARN a reward.

The money you pay to play, is not "gambling" money. Its used to buy prizes for everyone.
As for the winning of prizes with monetary value, again, look at it as you earned it, not won it.
 
kashmaster said:
Hey guys, got a big question.

As my title says: Is the Pokemon TCG a form of gambling?

You may think this seems ridiculous but this is the reasoning:

You pay to enter a tournament. You hope to win something in the tournament which will give you a monetary gain.

Now due to my faith, gambling is forbidden, hence if this logic is true, pokemon is forbidden.

Now I really want the outcome to be that it isnt forbidden as I really enjoy playing the game.

Please leave detailed responses. I want to hear your view with evidence so It can make sense to me.

Thanks
Click to expand...
Is taking tests gambling? You pay money to get in and hope for a high enough score to get scholarship. This is kind of how I see pokemon. You pay money to get a chance to win money. This is different in gambling. When you gamble, you BET money on victory. I believe that in your case, you pay for the opporotunity to play and win.

If you "really want the outcome to be that it isn't forbidden", why do you choose to follow your faith? One must believe what they want, not what they are told to. If you don't support this part of your faith, don't follow it. Simple as that.

DarksonicJ, so by your logic playing Black Jack while counting isn't gambling? Fail argument is fail. Also, pokemon has luck involved. More so now that decks like Sablock are around. At the top tables, luck is what makes a win happen. When skill is all equal (it usually is), the better hand/machup wins. That is primarily luck based.
 
Tip: If you're playing the game for the prizes instead of the enjoyment, you're doing it wrong. If you just play the game, it may have a few minor gambling elements (oh no, coin flips!), but it's not gambling-based by any means.
 
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value (referred to as "the stakes") on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods.

you are paying a fixed price to play in a tournament. thus u are not wagering any money, rather, paying the fees to participate in a friendly competitive event. tournaments thus are not gambling
 
Easy, you pay to play, not to bet. It's a game of skill, you go with your deck and try to do the best. It isnt like, for example, a rolling dice tournament, where you do nothing to win neither to lose.
Pokemon TCG is a funny game. When you play, you test your skill at the game, even if luck is involved, you do something to win or lose.
PD: i've never seen a rolling dice tournament, it was just a silly example :)
 
Life can be considered gambling since you "pay" your energy to wake up in the morning and you hope it will be well. Does your faith want you to die?

It's stupid to consider pokemon gambling :p
 
I claim page 2!

It is an interesting question.

It all comes down to the definition of gambling.
I agree with what others have said; if you pay to enter a tournament only with the hope to win prizes, I would concider it gambling (not that different from other card games like poker). However, if you play to have fun and perhaps win it is more like a game of mini golf or bowling. The ride is the fun and the prize can be okay.

-Dick out.
 
#1weavile said:
Life can be considered gambling since you "pay" your energy to wake up in the morning and you hope it will be well. Does your faith want you to die?

It's stupid to consider pokemon gambling :p
Click to expand...

I know! Let's be ignorant and insult people and their religions!

But on a serious note, I think buying packs of cards is very much more gambling than tournaments or playing. You pay your $4 and hope you get good cards.
 
Yup. Chaoguy's right. There is luck involved in the game itself, but not as overpowering as skill needed. You're not rolling a die every turn, or flipping a coin, (unless you choose to use SSU or use flippy attacks), because experienced players know that it's an inconsistent way to attempt to win.
 
I had a gambling problem for 2 years and lost over $400. Take it from me, Pokemon isn't gambling. I don't understand this thread though. Its like asking if cheating on your spouse is immoral. This is a subjective question. Regardless of what anyone on here says, make the decision yourself. Do you think Pokemon is gambling, Kashmaster?
 
My mom used to say a lot that it's gambling, but in my opinion that's only when you buy packs hoping for a certain card(s). You can fully enjoy the game by just going to prereleases and trading to get cards, and buying booster boxes you know you're guaranteed a certain amount of cards of certain rarity. If you're not really hoping for anything and are just buying a pack say as an entree fee for league it's not really gambling.

EDIT: Just saw YourP1MP's post and think he's made the biggest point so far.
 
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