Electronic Arts has already started ceding ground on the argument that loot box mechanics may be a form of gambling, but one of the creators of FIFA’s Ultimate Team mechanics isn’t ready to give up just yet. Former EA Sports President Peter Moore has come out defending the mechanic as a “long way” from gambling.

In a conversation with GamesIndustry.biz, Moore likened the card mechanic of Ultimate Team to collecting football player cards in his youth. He thinks the collect-a-thon feeling led to the feature’s popularity. “People loved it,” he says. “I think that sense of uncertainty and ‘What are you going to get?’ and then bang, Ronaldo or Messi would roll out and that’s a wonderful thing.”

The former President, who has since become CEO of Liverpool FC, does not think that approaches the level of gambling. “You’re always getting something,” he said. “It’s not like you opened it and there’s no players in there.”

“This is a personal view, but the concept of surprise and delight vs gambling… on a continuum, they’re a long way from each other,” he added.