> Is it because these days companies have thrown far more psychology at optimizing it?

Absolutely. Including hiring former casino personnel. Cards don't have flashy lights, music, nor the concept of a near miss.

You could call them the same only if you ignore all the context around it. For example, I know of no cards where you can purchase a more expensive card pack that has slightly higher odds of getting something good. Different loot boxes costing different amounts of money with the only difference being a slight increase in percentages are a completely common occurence.