It feel it might not be fair for other participants in gambling industry that are more strictly regulated.

It's like selling drugs that are not yet categorized as drugs.

They’re not dolls like Barbies are.

You buy them completely sight unseen, like CCG cards or Kinder eggs. They literally come in eggs you open and collect.

GP refers to the collecting aspect mentioned in the article. Whether it's gambling or not depends on how it's implemented precisely. When a consumer cannot know the probability of obtaining a rare item with a purchase, and must spend an unknown quantity of money to achieve the goal, then – so the argument goes – it is an exploitative manipulation of the mind and breaks anti-gambling laws and anti-consumer regulations.

The digital equivalent ("loot-boxes") has been brought to court in Belgium and restricted/regulated in the EU since. Regulated collecting by purchase shows the probabilities, and allows obtaining a rare item or set for a fixed, predetermined price.