Is acquiring plat gear a form of gambling?

[Blaquehaaart]

Using real money for the chance to acquire an item seems like a form of gambling.

This leads to the questions:

Is that legal in the Android market and condoned by Google?

Also, isn't gambling illegal in most states. Is using in game currency, purchased with real money, in games of chance get around state gambling laws?

I definitely think the grab box systems raises some ethical question. I can see if the gamble was made with gold acquired in the game, but considering the grab boxes are played with real money I think there are some legal issue involved.

[Blaquehaaart]

Ok just checked the android market policies:

Gambling: We don’t allow content or services that facilitate online gambling, including but not limited to, online casinos, sports betting and lotteries.

Not sure about state laws. I couldn't find anything definitive.

[Carth]

It is a form of gambling.

Gambling: An act or undertaking of uncertain outcome; a risk:

Gambling with the use of real money fits with Android's term that you've provided.

Nice find by the way.

[Beanmachine]

Does that mean we all get our plat back

or they could fix this with a guaranteed pink.

[Otukura]

It is a form of gambling.

Gambling: An act or undertaking of uncertain outcome; a risk:

Gambling with the use of real money fits with Android's term that you've provided.

Nice find by the way.

I'd like to see that hold up in court.

[Carth]

I think a refund and replacement or removal of the service seems reasonable enough.

[Carth]

I'd like to see that hold up in court.

It wouldn't. Fortunately though, this isn't court.

EDIT: Uh! Double posted without realizing. I guess that's a sign of needed sleep. :/

[Otukura]

STS doesnt have to do anything. And gaming has quite a few definitions, that one is a very broad form. Google could be talking about gambling real monney, where you could cash out.

[KingFu]

Scratch off tickets are a form of gambling and you can buy them from albertsons. Heck, I went to a fair today and they had a wheel you could spin for a dollar to get different prizes, which is also gambling. As Otu said, there's lots of forms of it, just depends on how strict you wanna get with it.

[Otukura]

Scratch off tickets are a form of gambling and you can buy them from albertsons. Heck, I went to a fair today and they had a wheel you could spin for a dollar to get different prizes, which is also gambling. As Otu said, there's lots of forms of it, just depends on how strict you wanna get with it.

did you win?!?!!?

[xfrzen]

Well STS OWNS ALL CHARACTERS AND ITEMS and we get to use them for signing up, so its technically STS gambling as we facilitate how the gambling is done... no lawsuit and against no Google terms, only if we won real cash would there be an issue..

[KingFu]

did you win?!?!!?

The wheel? The spinning colors make me dizzy...so I didn't even try

[xkoolwillx]

Using real money for the chance to acquire an item seems like a form of gambling.

This leads to the questions:

Is that legal in the Android market and condoned by Google?

Also, isn't gambling illegal in most states. Is using in game currency, purchased with real money, in games of chance get around state gambling laws?

I definitely think the grab box systems raises some ethical question. I can see if the gamble was made with gold acquired in the game, but considering the grab boxes are played with real money I think there are some legal issue involved.

You got this from the thread earlier on when me and Carth were discussing it -.- but no StS doesnt have to hive money back since gamebling is based on luck while StS has a coding at how often a certain item drops. So now lawsuit against StS

[Blaquehaaart]

You got this from the thread earlier on when me and Carth were discussing it -.- but no StS doesnt have to hive money back since gamebling is based on luck while StS has a coding at how often a certain item drops. So now lawsuit against StS

Ummm...gambling is also based on hard statistics, there is very little luck involved. Casinos wouldn't be a billion dollar industry if there wasn't the hard math to turn over a predictable profit. These statistic can also be used in counting cards, which is the reason it is illegal in Casinos.

There is no statistical difference between computerized randomization and setting the colors and numbers on a roulette wheel, or playing with standard deck of cards, or playing the number combination on a set of dice. They all give predictable statistical outcomes.

STS can argue that people always win because they get a weapon a couple gems, but there is the perceived notion that it is a form of gambling.

Someone also brought up another really good point. I'm fairly certain that it is illegal for 17 year olds to gamble...I actually think that you can't do it under 21 in all the US.

The reason I bring it up is there is because of the ethical reasons. These grab boxes are set up like casino games in which they play into someone's impulses in effort to get people to play it more, thus making more money (considering platinum is purchased with real cash). People are going to dump a ton of money impulsively. I am one of the victims.

[Airrie]

Interesting topic.

In an effort to prevent this from going in the wrong direction, allow me to clarify with some simple points.
If you buy a random pack, you're always rewarded. It may or may not be your favorite item, but the outcome is always positive.
Actual gambling, like at a casino, runs the risk of an absolute negative. There is no guarantee of any positive outcome and the odds are either entirely for you, or against you at either a gain or absolute loss.

Think of it like buying a booster pack of cards from your favorite card game or putting a quarter in a machine that gives you a toy at random. Chance.

[Takezaki]

Interesting topic.

In an effort to prevent this from going in the wrong direction, allow me to clarify with some simple points.
If you buy a random pack, you're always rewarded. It may or may not be your favorite item, but the outcome is always positive.
Actual gambling, like at a casino, runs the risk of an absolute negative. There is no guarantee of any positive outcome and the odds are either entirely for you, or against you at either a gain or absolute loss.

Think of it like buying a booster pack of cards from your favorite card game or putting a quarter in a machine that gives you a toy at random. Chance.

This.

[Beanmachine]

Interesting topic.

In an effort to prevent this from going in the wrong direction, allow me to clarify with some simple points.
If you buy a random pack, you're always rewarded. It may or may not be your favorite item, but the outcome is always positive.
Actual gambling, like at a casino, runs the risk of an absolute negative. There is no guarantee of any positive outcome and the odds are either entirely for you, or against you at either a gain or absolute loss.

Think of it like buying a booster pack of cards from your favorite card game or putting a quarter in a machine that gives you a toy at random. Chance.

Now this resolves all the confusion and controversy of this "gambling" topic. But I feel the need to point out, that in other STS games, plat gear was slightly worse than regular pinks looted from dungeons. Now it seems that plat is the only way to get the top notch gear, which seems quite unfair in PvP. Will this continue as the level cap increases or will it remain as it is?

[Blaquehaaart]

Interesting topic.

In an effort to prevent this from going in the wrong direction, allow me to clarify with some simple points.
If you buy a random pack, you're always rewarded. It may or may not be your favorite item, but the outcome is always positive.
Actual gambling, like at a casino, runs the risk of an absolute negative. There is no guarantee of any positive outcome and the odds are either entirely for you, or against you at either a gain or absolute loss.

Think of it like buying a booster pack of cards from your favorite card game or putting a quarter in a machine that gives you a toy at random. Chance.

Toy machines, grab boxes, and bingo are a form of gambling. It fits the definition of playing a game of chance for intended gain. Never-the-less, these grab boxes are marketed specifically to play for a chance to win a legendary weapon...you get the other stuff as a consulary prize.

No one is playing the game for greens. I'm sure the grab bag loop hole is one sts would use in a legal case. However, the marketed intent is to sell legendary items by impulsive means...I mean when you click on the box it's not showing your toon holding the green weapons.

More over, we are not talking about 25 cent stickers or a $2.50 pack of baseball cards...which I've never seen advertise one particular card or stick in hopes you buy the entire pack. Someone can potential spend hundreds of dollars trying to get a legendary weapon. The scope is far greater in this context, and the intent of the grab boxes...gambling or not...is to game people out real life money. In any case, I believe there are ethical issues concerning this practice. It definitely plays into impulse, which is conducive of a gambling nature.

[Mrsberry]

This thread made me lol.

[Rare]

Toy machines, grab boxes, and bingo are a form of gambling. It fits the definition of playing a game of chance for intended gain. Never-the-less, these grab boxes are marketed specifically to play for a chance to win a legendary weapon...you get the other stuff as a consulary prize.

No one is playing the game for greens. I'm sure the grab bag loop hole is one sts would use in a legal case. However, the marketed intent is to sell legendary items by impulsive means...I mean when you click on the box it's not showing your toon holding the green weapons.

More over, we are not talking about 25 cent stickers or a $2.50 pack of baseball cards...which I've never seen advertise one particular card or stick in hopes you buy the entire pack. Someone can potential spend hundreds of dollars trying to get a legendary weapon. The scope is far greater in this context, and the intent of the grab boxes...gambling or not...is to game people out real life money. In any case, I believe there are ethical issues concerning this practice. It definitely plays into impulse, which is conducive of a gambling nature.

No offense, but this is ridiculous.

You are buying a pack. You are getting items. You may or may not get the legendary item.

In most states, gambling is illegal. In said states, are you prohibited from investing in the stock market?

Point is, A LOT of things in life are gambling when you break them down.