The allure of wagering real money for a likely outcome determined by chance is something that Magic players have expressed in different community forums and online platforms. Unfortunately, Magic, while drawing a lot of similarities from poker, does not support gambling. This might come as a big surprise to some, but to many, it’s actually quite a disappointment that Magic continues to take a hardline approach against gambling.
According to MagicJudges, any form or amount of gambling is not allowed, and this rule covers a wide range of things ranging from "Loser buys winner candy bar" to " I'll bet $1000 player A beats player B". Similarly, predicting a match outcome but placing a wager is prohibited as gambling. In summary, MagicJudges concludes that any gambling or offer to gamble will result in disqualification from the game.
With all the restrictions and hard stance taken by Magic against gambling, do you, as a player, think it's time that gambling be enabled in this game?
Those in support of gambling in Magic argue that we can define loot boxes in games as a form of gambling because those players who purchase these boxes usually hope to win a specific prize.
However, the element of chance is taken away because in this scenario, the purchaser of the loot boxes always ends up receiving something even though it may not be what they anticipated. This is a distinct difference when compared to online casino games where the player can wager real money on slots but win absolutely nothing in return.
Moreover, unlike gambling, MTG revolves around skill, strategy, and expertise instead of just luck and chance.
As most MTG fans and legal opinions distinguish it from gambling, it is fair to say that Magic's unique elemental offerings delineate it as something different from gambling.
Many MTG players have confessed to getting an adrenaline rush similar to that experienced during gambling when playing MTG. That said, MTG players who like gambling will not have their prayers answered in Magic for several reasons.
Firstly, MTG is not legally recognized or defined as a game of gambling. For instance, U.S. laws governing gambling are not only vague but manipulatable. Additionally, each state in the U.S. is at liberty to determine the legality of gambling in Magic. It is also worth noting that in most states, online gaming is illegal, which would make permitting gambling in Magic a very unsuccessful undertaking.
In addition to legislative barriers, Magic's management has squashed any association of the brand with gambling. This is mainly because of its moral obligation to protect young adults, who make up a huge chunk of its customer base. The company does not want to appear to be promoting gambling in kids at a tender age.
Gambling has also been negatively portrayed in some quarters as facilitating match-fixing and collusion among players.
At this point, one wonders whether Magic should change its stance to embrace gambling. Some pointers to this are as follows;
If Magic decides to go the gambling route, the obvious approach would be to create matches in the MTG arena that players can wager on. These can then be introduced as head-to-head matches or simply as tournaments. With this model, you can duplicate the number of players as well as Swiss tournaments.
Similarly, Magic could employ the sweepstakes business model and leverage the in-game currency of gold and gems.
If MTG chooses to embrace gambling, it may opt to get the game into casinos. This would mean that wizards would have to find a willing casino partner. If successful, this approach allows Magic to easily roll out an Arena set-up or even traditional card tables.
It is important for MTG to seriously look into this gambling narrative and what they could do for their players who are lovers of gambling. Of course, if this desire from players continues to exist, a third party would quite easily step in and serve this niche. You're probably aware of offshore sportsbooks offering e-sports, such as Futures for Hearthstone. Similar bets could be offered for Magic.
While it looks likely that gambling will enter Magic in some form or other soon, there are also strong hurdles that must be overcome first. Should gambling prove to be a majority choice, the brand may wish to consider this offering, but someone else will beat them to it, and it'll be another conundrum for Wizards.