Published June 28, 2025 | By Alyx E, Founder of Collectors MD

There’s been a lot of talk this week about where the real “gambling” takes place in the hobby. Is it Whatnot? Fanatics Live? Your local card shop (LCS)? Jeremy Lee stirred the pot when he said: “It’s not about where you rip – it’s that you’re ripping.” And honestly, he’s not wrong—but it’s not the full story either.

Yes, ripping wax—whether online or in person—has always carried risk. You’re paying money for the chance to hit something big, knowing full well you might end up with nothing of value. That is gambling. But when you peel back the layers, it’s not just about the rip—it’s about the system surrounding it.

Group breaks on streaming platforms mimic casino mechanics: randomized outcomes, inflated markups, tiered buy-ins, peer pressure, time limits, wheel spins, trade backs, duck races, confetti graphics, and rapid-fire decision-making. It’s not just risk—it’s engineered urgency. It’s marketing built to exploit attention and emotion, often with no transparency on true odds or fair pricing.

Meanwhile, your LCS might offer a more grounded experience, but if they’re pricing wax based on inflated secondary markets—or even hosting breaks themselves—the line begins to blur.

Jeremy Lee’s post sparked a much-needed conversation. It’s not just where you rip—it’s how the entire experience is framed. The mechanics may vary, but the psychological pull is real across the board. The difference? Some platforms are designed to keep you spinning. Know the game. Protect your peace.

We’ve heard the stories:
– The guy who dropped $5,000 a night on Whatnot and lied to his spouse about it.
– The collector who walked out of his LCS in a daze feeling like he just left a casino.
– The breaker who hyped a $500 player spot that realistically had no chance of hitting anything meaningful.

So let’s be real: Overspending is overspending. And whether it’s at your desk, on your phone, or at a storefront, the fallout is the same: regret, guilt, secrecy, and sometimes financial ruin.

Dan The Card Man joins the conversation and unpacks the real differences between ripping at your LCS vs. live-stream platforms—and how both stack up against gambling mechanics. The structure, marketing, and accessibility matter.

It’s not about demonizing rips, breakers, or stores. It’s about creating awareness of how these mechanisms function—and how easily they can hijack our self-control if we’re not careful.

Collecting should be exciting—but it should also be intentional.
Don’t let the decor distract you from the design.

#CollectorsMD
The risk isn’t just in the rip—it’s in the routine.

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