The short version
- · You're buying real trading cards at published odds — every pack contains cards with real market value, and every box's contents are locked and provable before the first rip.
- · Everything on the site runs on Sparks (⚡), our store credits — 100 Sparks per dollar. Sparks have no cash value, can't be withdrawn or exchanged for cash, and can't be sent to other users. Value leaves the shop exactly one way: having your cards shipped to you. There is no cash-out, and none is planned.
- · Every card you pull can be sold back instantly for Sparks at a flat 85% of market, shipped home from ⚡299 (⚡499 for cards worth ⚡1,000 and up; 10% off each when shipping 3 or more together), or kept in your vault.
- · Unopened packs may be refunded at the price paid, at our discretion, through support.
- · This is not gambling: every pack always contains its full count of real, market-priced cards, box structure and odds are disclosed and verifiable, and nothing can be wagered or cashed out.
- · You must be 18 or older.
- · We can refuse service, change prices and features, or wind things down at our discretion — but committed boxes never change, accepted orders are honored, and your paid value is always redeemable.
The summary is a courtesy; the full text below is what governs.
1. Who we are and what this is
These Terms of Service ("Terms") are an agreement between you and Tyler Mailman (d/b/a PackLab) ("we," "us"). We operate a VIRTUAL CARD SHOP — an online retail trading-card store with a buy-back desk. When you open a pack on our site, you receive specific, identified trading cards with ascertainable market value, drawn from a box whose complete contents were cryptographically committed before the box's first pack was opened. There are no empty slots, no prizes, and no wagers: every pack contains real cards, every card has a market price, and you may convert any card back to Sparks at a published rate at any time. By creating an account you accept these Terms and our Privacy Policy.
1a. Not a gambling service
WE ARE NOT A GAMBLING WEBSITE, AND NOTHING ON THE SERVICE IS A WAGER, BET, LOTTERY, SWEEPSTAKES, OR GAME OF CHANCE FOR MONEY. We are a virtual card shop: a retail store selling sealed trading-card packs, the same product sold in hobby shops and big-box stores, opened online instead of at your kitchen table. What distinguishes retail from gambling, and how we meet it: (a) every purchase delivers full consideration — a pack always contains its full, disclosed count of real, specific, market-priced trading cards; you can never open a pack and receive nothing; (b) each box's guaranteed structure (including its minimum-value headliner card) is disclosed before you buy, and each box's complete contents are cryptographically committed and publicly verifiable after it finishes; (c) every card can be converted back to Sparks instantly at the published flat rate or shipped to you as physical product — your purchase is never "lost" the way a losing bet is; and (d) Sparks are closed-loop store credit with no cash-out of any kind, so no money can be won. Card market values fluctuate like any collectible; that is market risk inherent to trading cards everywhere, not a game of chance we operate. If a regulator, court, or platform requires changes to how we offer the service in a jurisdiction, we will comply — but we do not market, describe, or operate this service as gambling, and you agree not to use it as a substitute for gambling.
1b. Trademark disclaimer
PackLab is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or associated with Nintendo, The Pokémon Company, Creatures Inc., GAME FREAK inc., or any other trademark holder mentioned on this platform. Pokémon and all related marks are trademarks of their respective owners.
1c. Virtual products
What you buy and pull on the service are VIRTUAL CARDS — digital collectibles recorded in your vault. A virtual card is a digital product; it confers no right to any physical card unless and until you redeem it for shipping under Section 7, at which point we source and mail the corresponding physical card. We reserve the right, at our sole discretion and to the fullest extent permitted by law, to modify, substitute, re-price, or remove any item, and to alter, suspend, or discontinue any feature of the service, at any time. Digital purchases, Sparks, and vaulted virtual cards have no cash value and no cash-out: value leaves the service only as shipped physical cards, or as Sparks where these Terms so provide — never as cash, and none is planned.
1d. Evolve: an optional card-upgrade feature
Evolve is an optional, closed-loop, no-cash-out, provably-fair CARD-UPGRADE feature. You may stake one vaulted virtual card and pick a target multiplier (from 2× up to 128×); at published odds you either receive a bigger virtual card worth roughly that multiple of the staked card, or the staked card is consumed. Two things make this a product feature and not a wager for money: no money goes in and no money comes out. What you stake is a virtual card — a digital collectible with no cash value that you already own — and what you can get is another virtual card that likewise has no cash value and cannot be cashed out; every possible result stays inside the closed Sparks/vault loop, exactly like the rest of the service, and value still leaves only as shipped physical cards. Unlike opening a pack (which always returns a full count of cards), an Evolve can end with the staked card gone and nothing returned in its place — so PLEASE READ THE RISK LINE: WHEN AN EVOLVE RESOLVES AGAINST YOU, THE STAKED CARD IS PERMANENTLY CONSUMED AND YOU RECEIVE NOTHING FOR IT. Evolve is entirely optional, is never required to use the service, and its odds and house edge are disclosed in the Fairness & Odds Disclosure. If a regulator, court, or platform requires changes to how we offer Evolve in a jurisdiction, we will comply; we do not market or operate Evolve as gambling, and it may not be used as a substitute for gambling.
2. Eligibility
You must be at least 18 years old and reside in a jurisdiction where use of the service is permitted. The service is available in all fifty U.S. states and the District of Columbia; we do not offer it where prohibited by applicable law or in countries subject to U.S. sanctions. You certify your age at signup, and we may require identity verification (including before any shipment or redemption) before releasing product. One account per person.
3. Sparks (⚡): our store credits
Purchases on the service are made with Sparks (⚡), our closed-loop store credits, priced at 100 Sparks per U.S. dollar (1 Spark = 1¢); larger packages include bonus Sparks as disclosed at purchase, an account's first qualifying package purchase includes one free promotional booster pack (one per account, as disclosed at purchase), and we may grant other promotional Sparks and promotional packs (purchase bonuses, promo codes, daily gifts, referral rewards) that are subject to the same rules as anything else acquired on the service. Sparks are a limited, revocable license to acquire products and services on this site. Sparks: (a) have no monetary value, are not money or legal tender, and are not a bank deposit or stored-value account; (b) cannot be withdrawn, cashed out, or exchanged for cash, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or any other currency or cash equivalent; (c) cannot be transferred, gifted, or sold to any other user or third party — no transfer feature exists; (d) may be used only on this site, for pack purchases, fees, and other offerings we make available; (e) are not refundable once purchased, except as described in the Refund Policy or where the law requires (unspent Sparks may be refunded to the original payment method at our discretion); and (f) do not accrue interest or expire while your account is in good standing. We may decline a Sparks purchase when the amount purchased would take your balance above ⚡1,000,000 ($10,000); buying resumes once you spend below the ceiling, and credits we owe or grant you — sell-backs, refunds, promotional Sparks — are never capped or blocked, so you can always liquidate your vault in full. Card market values shown in dollars are price references from third-party market data; every amount you actually pay or receive on the service is denominated in Sparks.
3a. Promotions: referrals, the Daily Chest, purchase bonuses, ETB bundles, partners
We run several promotional programs; all promotional Sparks and promotional packs follow the same rules as anything else on the service (Section 3). (a) REFERRAL PROGRAM — when a person you invite through your personal link registers and makes their first Sparks purchase of ⚡500 ($5) or more, we credit ⚡550 in promotional Sparks to each of you (advertised as "a free pack" — the amount covers our least expensive booster; the Sparks may be spent on anything). One referral reward per invited person, ever. A fraud guard limits each referrer to 20 referral activations per UTC day; a qualifying purchase past that limit is not lost — the reward is granted on the invited person's next qualifying purchase after the limit resets. Self-referrals, bulk account creation, and other referral abuse are prohibited, and we may withhold or reverse rewards obtained that way and suspend the accounts involved. (b) DAILY CHEST — eligible accounts may open one free chest per UTC day for a random Sparks reward. Eligibility requires all of: a verified email address, at least one prior Sparks purchase, and an account older than 24 hours. The reward odds are fixed, disclosed on the wallet page (currently ⚡25 at ~50%, ⚡50 at ~25%, ⚡100 at ~15%, ⚡150 at 5%, ⚡300 at 5%, ⚡1,000 at 0.1%), and drawn with a cryptographic random number generator. The Daily Chest is a free, chance-based promotional credit: the reward is closed-loop Sparks with no cash value, is not redeemable for cash, and follows all rules in Section 3. (c) FIRST-PURCHASE PACKAGE PACK — an account's first qualifying Sparks package purchase ($25 and up) includes one free promotional booster pack, one per account, at the tier disclosed on the purchase page. (d) ELITE TRAINER BUNDLES — an ETB bundle consists of the same number of booster packs as the corresponding physical Elite Trainer Box (disclosed on the product page; the count is verified against the physical product's published contents), at a bundle discount, plus the same promotional card that physical Elite Trainer Box ships with (when that product includes one) minted into your vault at its live market value, and a disclosed Sparks credit standing in for the physical accessories. For products whose real Elite Trainer Box includes NO promo card, the bonus card is instead our OWN pick from that set — a popular single we chose, clearly labeled on the product page as our take and NOT the official ETB promo — minted into your vault at its live market value like any other card. Where a physical box includes additional assorted packs beyond its own expansion (e.g. Celebrations), the bundle includes and charges for only the expansion's own packs, as disclosed on the product page. The "sealed market" figure shown beside a bundle is a live third-party market-price reference for the sealed physical product; it is informational and is not a promise that any card or product holds value. (e) PARTNER PROGRAM — approved creators earn promotional Sparks equal to a disclosed percentage (currently 5%) of the PAID amount of Sparks purchases made by users who registered through their partner code; commission is never paid on bonus or promotional Sparks, is subject to per-partner daily and per-referred-account lifetime caps, and is paid in closed-loop Sparks that follow all rules in Section 3 (no cash value, no withdrawal). Partner status requires an application and approval, may be suspended or revoked for fraud, self-referral, misleading promotion, or breach of these Terms (Sparks already earned are not confiscated except in cases of fraud), and a registration is attributed to at most ONE program — a partner code and a friend referral never both pay for the same signup. We may modify or end any promotion prospectively at any time; rewards already granted are never clawed back except in cases of fraud or abuse.
3b. VIP rewards and loyalty tiers
We run a house-funded VIP rewards program that recognizes how much you spend on the service in a calendar month. Perks may include a daily Sparks claim, one-time rank-up rewards when you first reach a tier, and a boosted sell-back (buyback) rate, as shown on the Rewards page. All VIP perks are promotional, house-funded Sparks or benefits: they have NO CASH VALUE, are NON-TRANSFERABLE, and create NO PROPERTY RIGHT, VESTED BENEFIT, OR GUARANTEE OF FUTURE REWARDS. Your tier is measured by qualifying monthly spend and, as disclosed up front on the Rewards page, RESETS ON THE FIRST OF EACH CALENDAR MONTH — tier status does not carry over. Your tier is measured by the Sparks you spend on packs and singles during the month. We may add, modify, reduce, suspend, or discontinue any perk, tier, threshold, or the program as a whole, prospectively, at any time and at our sole discretion. What we will not do is claw back what you have already earned: rewards already granted, and rank-up rewards you have already qualified for but not yet claimed, are honored under the terms in force when you earned them.
4. Buying and opening packs
Packs are purchased with Sparks, and purchases are final at the moment of purchase, except as described in the Refund Policy (unopened packs may be refunded in Sparks at the price paid, at our discretion, via support). Packs are sold per set and are not tied to a particular box until you open them; when you open a pack, it draws the next slot of the current live box's pre-committed shuffle. Published odds and the guaranteed box structure for each product appear on its product page and in the Fairness & Odds Disclosure. Pack prices are set automatically from live market data and may change between boxes; the price you pay is the price shown at checkout.
5. Your vault: cards as claims
Cards you keep are recorded in your vault as claims to the identified cards. Some cards may be sourced to order rather than held in inventory, which can add a little time before they ship: when you redeem a card for shipping, we purchase that exact card (same name, set, number, Near Mint condition unless stated otherwise) from major third-party marketplaces such as TCGplayer and mail it to you. Availability tracks those marketplaces: if a card is purchasable there, it is shippable here. Until redemption or sale-back, your vault entry is a claim against us for that card or its cash-value treatment under these Terms.
6. Instant sell-back
You may sell any vaulted card back to us instantly, paid in Sparks, at one flat rate: 85% of the card's live market value — the same rate for every card, every time. Live market value comes from continuously refreshed third-party market data; quotes are valid for 60 seconds.
6a. No cap on what we owe you
On any cancellation or refund we pay 100% of a card's live market value in Sparks — with no cap. (Instant voluntary sell-back remains a flat 85%, as in Section 6.) If we accept a shipment and cannot fulfill it, we credit 100% of the card's live market value in Sparks, plus the per-card fee you paid back. Live market value comes from continuously refreshed third-party market data and updates automatically.
6b. Marketplace: buying a single
The Marketplace lets you buy a specific virtual card outright instead of ripping for it. The price is the card's live third-party market value plus a small store markup, shown in Sparks at checkout before you confirm; the amount you pay is the amount shown. Marketplace purchases are made with Sparks only and are FINAL at the moment of purchase. What you buy is a virtual card that lands in your vault with the same rights as any other vaulted card — keep it, sell it back instantly at the published rate, or redeem it for shipping under Section 7.
7. Redemptions: how value leaves the site
Everything that exits the system is reviewed by a person before it goes out. (a) CARD SHIPPING — the redemption path: each card ships individually — ⚡299 for cards worth under ⚡1,000, or ⚡499 for cards ⚡1,000 and up (better packaging and tracking), discounted 10% per card when 3 or more cards are requested in one shipment order; approved shipments are sourced from third-party marketplaces (such as TCGplayer) and mailed within 7 days, with tracking; if we cannot source your card, we credit 100% of its live market value in Sparks plus the full per-card fee you paid back. (b) CODE CARDS: online code cards are redeemed by email for a ⚡199 processing fee, available while the set's code cards are purchasable on third-party marketplaces (checked automatically; each code is sourced on redemption); the physical code card is never mailed. No other redemption exists: we do not offer — and do not plan to offer — redemption for cash, gift cards, prepaid cards, cryptocurrency, or any other cash equivalent. We may decline any redemption that fails review; declined redemptions are refunded in full, including fees.
8. Provable fairness
Box contents are committed by published SHA-256 fingerprints before any pack from that box is opened; the shuffle derives from our committed seed and a public drand randomness beacon; complete box data is published when the box's last pack is opened. The full method is described in the Fairness & Odds Disclosure, which is incorporated into these Terms. Where box data verifies against the published commitments, the published draw results are conclusive as to pack contents.
9. Pricing basis
Card values shown on the service are drawn from third-party market data (currently TCGplayer market prices via the pokemontcg.io API) refreshed on a continuous schedule. Values move with the market. Market values are displayed in U.S. dollars as a price reference; every amount you pay or receive on the service is in Sparks at the 1 Spark = 1¢ reference rate. Where a card lacks reliable market data, we may temporarily hold shipping availability while data refreshes (sell-backs stay available at the standard 85%), or set a house price for house-issued items (such as code cards).
10. Dormant accounts and unclaimed property
If your account holds Sparks or vaulted cards and has no login or transaction for 3 years (or the period your state's unclaimed-property law provides, whichever applies), we will attempt to contact you at your registered email. Value that remains unclaimed after the statutory period will be reported and remitted as unclaimed property to the applicable state, as required by law. Vaulted cards may be liquidated at 100% of live market value into Sparks for this purpose after notice.
11. Acceptable use
You agree not to: use the service under 18 or from an excluded jurisdiction; create multiple accounts; use bots or automation to buy, open, or sell; exploit pricing or data errors; use the service to launder money or evade sanctions; or interfere with the fairness mechanism. We may suspend accounts, hold redemptions pending investigation, and reverse transactions that violate these Terms. Sparks purchased in violation may be refunded to the payment source rather than redeemed.
11a. Our rights
We reserve the right, at our sole discretion and to the fullest extent permitted by law, to: refuse, suspend, or terminate service to any account, with or without notice, for any lawful reason; cancel or reverse any order or transaction we reasonably believe involves error, fraud, abuse, or a violation of these Terms; change prices, products, odds structures, features, fees, and policies prospectively at any time; and modify, suspend, or discontinue all or part of the service. Two things never change retroactively: a box that has been cryptographically committed stays exactly as committed, and an order we have accepted is honored under the terms in force when you placed it. If we suspend or close your account (or shut the service down), your paid value survives — remaining Sparks and vaulted cards are redeemed through the normal redemption paths, less amounts connected to fraud or chargebacks.
12. Disclaimers and limitation of liability
The service is provided "as is." We do not warrant uninterrupted operation. Cards are collectibles; their prices can fall as well as rise, and nothing on the service is investment advice. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, OUR AGGREGATE LIABILITY FOR ANY CLAIM IS LIMITED TO THE GREATER OF $100 OR THE AMOUNTS YOU PAID US IN THE SIX MONTHS BEFORE THE CLAIM AROSE; WE ARE NOT LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES.
13. Disputes: arbitration and class waiver
Any dispute arising out of these Terms or the service will be resolved by binding individual arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules, seated in the State of Maine, except small-claims matters and injunctive relief for IP violations. YOU AND WE WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL OR TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION. You may opt out of arbitration within 30 days of account creation by emailing legal@packlab.gg; opting out does not affect the rest of these Terms.
13a. Governing law
These Terms and any dispute arising out of them or the service are governed by the laws of the State of Maine, without regard to its conflict-of-law rules, and by applicable U.S. federal law. Where a consumer-protection law of your state of residence grants rights that cannot be waived by contract, those rights are unaffected by this section.
14. Changes, termination, contact
We may update these Terms; material changes will be announced on the site and by email at least 14 days before taking effect, and continued use after that constitutes acceptance. You may close your account at any time; on closure we will redeem your remaining Sparks and vault through the normal redemption paths (fees apply). Contact: support@packlab.gg · Tyler Mailman (d/b/a PackLab), 74 Old Orchard Rd, Saco, ME 04072, USA.