Recently, scratch cards have sold out in almost all lottery shops in China, with glass cases remaining empty since late April. The cards, now popular among young people, are often sold out immediately when restocked. A Weibo topic titled “They’re afraid to sell scratch cards in the open” garnered significant attention, highlighting this phenomenon. The cards’ popularity is driven by the chance of instant gratification and winning, as well as being a social activity. Despite high demand, supply is limited due to strict regulations and a slow production process. Sales nearly doubled from 60 billion RMB ($8.4 billion) in 2022 to 120 billion RMB ($16.8 billion) in 2023, yet supply struggles to keep pace with the increasing demand.