There is value associated to the cards.No, Istripper credit is not a currency and it can not - never - be converted back into real money; neither can a card be sold or traded in any way - so there is no monetary value associated to a card.
And 99.9% of video game MTX/Loot Boxes have zero direct montetary value (get to that in a second) yet it is still going down the path of being labeled gambling by various governments.
Examples:
In the US as an example even if its a charity auction there is gambling regulation on a state by state basis to allow or disallow things. In certain circumstances you may win prizes that are non-transferrable such as a dinner or meeting with someone. This essentially is your arguement here yet its already ruled as a form of gambling (remember laws typically take a while to catch up to new things like Technology).
In addition while in the US you might get hit with an account closure by a software company in the EU there has been records of selling your account as legal even if the EULA prohibits it. So there would be tangible value to FUT with all Icon starting 11.
I don't follow to closely but the EU has ruled that reselling of software accounts was legal over 8 years ago for Steam, Origin, Ect as an example. Now some of this ruling deals with it being a distributor instead of a direct to consumer. I know there are new rulings.
In the end most of the points people try to make on this topic are a decade old in the video game community and over the past years with the explosion of lootboxes it has ramped up the investigation by governments.
Its not if it will be illegal in various countries but simply when it becomes illegal to do business in the current format that EA, 2k, and others use today.
You can argue it shouldn't be regulated or illegal thats fine. The loophole that Totem is hoping for is as they roll out these regulations it sticks to a under 18 restriction and over 18 no restriction. Its doubtful that would be the end though as once you rule that under 18 is ***** by the offering then further regulation is likely to follow similar to each countries gambling regulations.