Forum: Trading cards, like blind boxes, should be regulated too

Singapore has decided to regulate blind boxes, products sold in sealed packaging where buyers do not know what they will receive (

S’pore to regulate blind boxes to manage gambling risks: Shanmugam, Feb 13

).

Trading card products such as Pokemon cards operate on a similar randomised model. Consumers buy sealed packs without knowing the contents, and the value depends on chance. Some rare cards can command substantial resale prices.

If blind boxes warrant regulation because of their lottery-like mechanics, it is reasonable to ask whether trading cards should also be examined.

Live-streamed pack openings, card vending machines and in-store opening events are now common. Social media features many young people, including those aged 16 and below, opening packs in hopes of pulling a rare card. Marketing often emphasises high resale values and dramatic successes, reinforcing the appeal of striking it lucky.

Trading cards themselves do not feature gambling, and have genuine recreational and collectible value. However, when the focus shifts from play to speculation, the psychology begins to resemble gambling. Consumers pay for a chance at a much larger reward, driven by probability and anticipation.

The approach may appear inconsistent if blind boxes are regulated but not trading cards, which function in much the same way. A coherent framework should focus not only on product labels, but also on whether value is primarily determined by randomised outcomes and marketed as such, with appropriate safeguards for minors where necessary.

Lim Guohao