Not sure why people try to equate these with lootboxes. Okay, there's a random element, and you pay for it. The comparison ends there. It's more like putting a dime in a gumball machine and twisting the handle. You know you're going to get something that holds a value equal to or better than what you put in, but you don't know what color or flavor will come out. Given today's use of the word "snowflake", I can understand why they went with "stars".

That is not how gumball machines work. The machine operator mixes appealing items amongst the prizes mostly containing worthless junk, to make the risk more appealing. And he makes the ratio such that on an average the customer gets screwed. If customer would be guaranteed something of equal or greater value, then where would be the profit of operating the machine?

If the machine operator puts a $100 bill in one of every 100 balls in the machine, while the other 99 just contain gum, and then charges $5 to spin the machine. Then that is clearly gambling. But in most places where gambling is illegal, they get away with it by claiming that the primary purpose is to dispense gum.

And you are completely right that the GOG stars are completely analogous to a gumball machine.