I think I know why there's no Pazaak

Even with gambling there are ways to add pazaak without affecting the core game's rating.

I don'the really see the problem of player pazaak games as long as it's in game credits. I think that would be fun personally, rather than just pitting your skills against AI. There of course should wager limits to prevent abuse.

EXACTLY

Though i would be fine with a starter deck (free or for credits) and pay CC for other Decks (different back images colors etc), tables, special card decks in CC Packs, etc, as long as they where in collections.

I'ld drop 2000CC right away for (full decks) decks and more for CC Packs with random cards for specific (CC pack decks) decks!!!, collect all the cards for your collection deck A, B, C, etc

Perhaps this is a better way of going about the discussion:

There is no evidence that suggests the "gambling" issue is the reason why Pazaak/Sabacc is not in the game yet. Note that they had absolutely zero issues putting in a slot-machine minigame for an event, and slot machines are much higher on the "gambling" scale than a card game (zero skill, per-round losses are usually complete).

The developers have said a few times that they want to add it. No, you can't copy and paste the code from KoTOR. No, you can't just have a couple interns do it in a week. It takes design, testing and most importantly: game balance analysis.

No, they're not running on a skeleton crew. However, they aren't sitting around bored, either. They have plans, and most of those plans are probably made 6-8 months ahead of time. Pazaak probably will make it into the game, but there are other things that are more important right now.

The only way I see Pazaak being in this game is for reputation rewards with legacy bound chips that couldn't be traded to other players.

Why? Because people can't control themselves and the bar has to be set low for people who have no self control.

- Arcada

Give it a rest already you online, self taught, legal experts (so you try to comment as)

SW:TOR already has gambleing (and for real money no less) in SW:TOR

Its called Cartel packs where you GAMBLE that you will get something usefull and/or desired for the low cost of REAL MONEY.

Thats gambleing
100% gambleing

And you dont see the rating go up.

They just had slots and casino event

And you dont see rating go up

So spare uss the already disproven "Theories" about why there is no Pazaak

There is no Pazaak because the original developers didnt agree with Pazaak (like they didn't agree with housing, like they didnt agree with achievement system, like they didn't agree with ... (enter a whole ton of things the original devs refuted and ignored because they didnt want it thats now making way into game).

THATS WHY

Now the old devs gone its time of EA to put Pazaak into game as a mini game once and for all

And the online rating (that mostly only effects where copies sold...which is not a issue for SW:TOR anymore) that most custs ignore outright will not change or be effected BECAUSE GAMBLEING IS ALREADY IN GAME.

/slaps forehead

Its not that hard a topic to understand really

So let me get this straight.

First you attack other posters for being armchair pretend lawyers on the internet.

Then you make an internet post with an armchair pretend lawyer explanation of gambling.

Do you not see the hypocrisy?

I suppose the OP could be right -- we will probably never know -- but I think it's more that EA can't think of a way to make money off of it.

My guess as to EA's feature priority list (in order of importance)...

1. Can we sell it on the Cartel Market?
2. Can we sell it to players as a paid for expansion?
3. Will it bring in new subscribers?
4. Will it keep existing subscribers?
5. Will it bring in new players?
6. Will it keep existing players?

IMHO...

Pazaak is unlikely to do any of these. Only previous KOTOR and KOTOR 2 players even know about the game. A lot of us would like to see it, but no one is likely to start playing the game or start subscribing because the game is added, and I doubt anyone will quit just because the game is missing. Very few people are likely to buy pazaak.

No.
The defining element of gambling is the ability to win money or something else that can be cycled for more gambling in a self-sustaining cycle.
Spending money is not what defines gambling. WINNING money is what defines gambling.

Hence, raffles = not gambling. Spend $50, get anything from a cookie to a bike = still passable as not gambling. Spend $100, get $99 or $101 = gambling.
Stupid, but that's where the line is drawn.

In fact, it's been drawn there for a very long time, with semi-legal gambling establishments in the older days dodging gambling laws by players winning "prizes", then exchanging these prizes for money next door. That's what made them semi-legal, and, if proven to be a scheme, illegal.

Gambling is not really a 18+ issue, since US law is very lax on the matter. It's an issue of being illegal in some countries, and some foreign countries having extremely stupid laws on what they might define as gambling. SWTOR is a worldwide MMO, it has to worry about not falling afoul of even the dumbest of these laws.

No, it's not. Baseball cards are not recognized as gambling by any society that has them. They are not taxed as gambling. They are not regulated as gambling. Magic the Gathering card packs are not recognized as gambling. Grab bags are not viewed as gambling.

I know that you feel its like gambling, but the majority of society does not, the legal system in virtually every country playing this game does not, and there are no definitions that support it that don't end up grouping Roulette and gumball machines under the same term.

You're using the word for shock value, but you have no facts to support it.