I have mixed feelings being a parent now. It can be fun to get a mystery box or pack. But it does feed on the anticipation and rush of surprise. Kids seem to lack the self control to stop. Video games seem the worst to me since they're so intangible it's easier to get carried away before others notice.

I feel so guilty about how often I begged my parents for new magic, Star Wars ccg, or battletech booster packs.

Why feel guilty when you've been manipulated by marketing to beg your parents for it?

Don't forget the other children's gambling trainers:

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=claw+machine&ia=images&iax=...

The average kid at these places thinks they're a skill-based game, so they aren't gambling any more than they are when they shoot hoops.

Kids version has been around my entire life (baseball cards) it even used to come with bubblegum!

It was like sweetened emulsified chalk.

I kind of miss it.

LEGO does it too, with "mystery minifigure" packages.

I watch kids squeezing the polybags trying to find an identifying bump or edge, hoping to either get the one they want, or at least not get one they already have.

And yeah, baseball cards are/were no different, going back decades.

But at least the financial loss here is constrained to a few dollars. I don't think these are the gateway drugs to gambling problems, but they are definitely exploitative.