Is Regulation Needed in Sports Cards?

You just got off the plane after a four-hour flight to Vegas. It was 117 steps from the aircraft to the gate, which featured 80 slot machines to enjoy. You find your favorite Buffalo slot machine and kiss your twenty-dollar bill goodbye.

Max bet or bust. On your fourth spin, the bonus wheel is triggered. You cannot believe your eyes as the wheel stops on the grand jackpot. With your carry-on bag draped over your shoulder, you became a millionaire at gate "D" of Harry Reid International Airport.

This is where it goes from dream to nightmare.

The machine flashes on and off. Your credit balance shows $6.50 and there is no trace of you winning $1 million on the machine.

This is where you and the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) became best friends. The NGCB has the ability to pull data from the Buffalo slot machine to validate the jackpot.

By now you see where this is going.

Billions Spent on Sports Cards Every Year

The sports card trading market was valued at over $10 billion 2023 per Skyquest. Hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not over a million, are spent on a daily basis at local card shops, retail outlets, and entering group breaks on various platforms.

Sports cards become currency as they are traded as frequently as stocks. There are claims of 38 million sports cards being sold on eBay in 2023. Now factor Facebook groups, COMC, and Whatnot.

Can Opening Sports Cards be Considered Gambling?

Gambling is defined as playing games of chance for money. It is a risky action with hope of achieving a desired result.

Now we can talk about the element of chance in sports cards. If you buy one pack of Upper Deck 2023-24 Parkhurst Hockey, there is a 1:20 chance you will pull a base set gold parallel.

To make a long story short, buying a pack of sports cards is gambling. There is money involved, or wagered, for a variable outcome.

Why is Regulation Needed?

The consumer needs to be protected, sports card companies need to offer greater transparency, and big box retailers need to be held accountable for their actions.

If you feel you have been wronged by a sports card company, you can try contacting them to get your damaged card repaired. There are missing hits forms you can fill out if you did not get your "on average" hit from a box or case.

The issue is the sports card company has the final say if they will honor your claim or tell you to pound sand. Sure, you can always hire a lawyer if the situation is egregious enough. That is an expensive process that takes time.

How do sports card companies determine which cases of sealed products get sent to distributors, big box retailers, and card shops? That is where the transparency is needed. Cases and boxes of sports cards have codes that can be scanned. Do sports card companies know which cards are in what boxes?

Is it in a sports card company's best interest to send cases with the biggest hits with major hobby influencers?

Recently, Dave and Adam's Card World pulled...I mean "expired," a $1 million bounty on the Connor Bedard Young Guns Gold Outburst one-of-one. Dave and Adam's Card World sold countless boxes and cases of Upper Deck 2023-24 Series Two Hockey and inflated prices as collectors tried to become an instant millionaire.

Should Dave and Adam's Card World be held accountable for their actions?

Life-Changing Money

There can be life-changing money on the line when opening packs of sports and gaming cards. No different than a visit to your favorite casino and trying your luck at your favorite slot machine.

There needs to be an independent party that everyone can turn to when something out of the ordinary happens. Increased regulation can help consumers, sports card companies, and retailers from improprieties.

Happy hunting and collecting!