Hearthstone player warns NZ MP about Blizzard’s alleged ‘pet gambling’ feature

A Hearthstone player recently jumped on video game developer Blizzard Entertainment’s forums to share some serious concerns about a new feature in the game that they’re calling “pet gambling.”

Blizzard accused of allowing ‘pet gambling’ on Hearthstone

In a post titled “Emailed my state MP about the new pet gambling,” they talked about how they decided to contact their state Member of Parliament to raise the alarm over what they see as a troubling direction for Blizzard’s popular card game.

The post went up on June 25, 2025, and it’s already sparked a debate in the Hearthstone community about whether this new mechanic is really just gambling in disguise.

A Hearthstone player posts on Blizzard’s official forums, calling the new pet system “the low of the low” and urging government action in New Zealand. Credit: Blizzard

The player called the feature “the low of the low for Blizzard” and according to the post they sent an email on June 24, reached out to a Member of Parliament in New Zealand.

They said they were pushing for stronger gambling regulations in games and called the system a “predatory gambling scam.” They also stated they hoped the government would step in and question whether this kind of system is even legal.

Hearthstone has introduced their first interactive pet King Krush. Its adorable, had tons of love and care put into it by the talented dev team, and it's being ruined by a $158 paywalled gambling mechanic. I break everything down in the video linked below. pic.twitter.com/gk8x2VVpT9

— Zeddy (@ZeddyHS) June 24, 2025

Hearthstone’s first interactive pet

Blizzard’s announcement on Tuesday (June 24) revealed these interactive “Pets” are cosmetic companions that “will join you and your Hero on the game board during matches”, reacting visibly to gameplay.

The release explains you can pet it, feed it a treat, or play with it using an interactive toy, and that when your hero uses emotes, “your Pet will mimic your mood,” with all emotes triggering a “unique animation and audio cue.”

Hearthstone’s new interactive “Pets” feature includes collectible companions like these dino-themed variants, available through randomized Pet Packs. Credit: Blizzard

While purely cosmetic, the Pets are obtained through a random-reward system called Darkmoon Faire Treasures, which grants them alongside other cosmetic items.

The company states: “Darkmoon Faire Treasures is not available to players under the age of 18 in certain regions. Battle.net Account required to access.”

The acquisition method has led some community members to question whether the randomized nature of “Pet Packs” veers into gambling territory as it resembles loot boxes or gacha-style mechanics.

Reward systems criticized

The thread, which was posted in the Hearthstone Multiplayer Discussion section, has quickly caught people’s attention. Some players compared the system to others in different games. One person said that while Hearthstone’s version might be “way less predatory than [League of Legends’] Sanctum,” it still has a gambling vibe that’s hard to ignore.

Users on the forum admit that Blizzard did put an age restriction in place, blocking players under 18 from using the feature. But one player pointed out that this kind of move might actually admit there’s a gambling element at play. They said, “Exactly! And how in the heck are they actually checking to see if someone is 18 or not?… And IF it does, it’s basically an admission that this is a type of gambling.”

This isn’t the first time Blizzard has faced heat over how it makes money from its games. Hearthstone’s card pack system and in-game purchases have been criticized before, with some players saying they push people toward spending more than they should.

ReadWrite has reached out to Blizzard for comment.

Featured image: Blizzard

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