7 Card Game Success Stories [2025]
If you love card games and have dreamed of starting your own business, why not consider starting a card game business? This can be a great way to bring people together and create a fun, social atmosphere while also making a profit.
To get started, you’ll need to decide what type of card game you want to focus on. Do you want to offer a variety of games like poker, blackjack, and baccarat, or do you want to specialize in a specific game like bridge or magic gathering? Once you’ve decided on the type of card game you want to offer, you’ll need to find a location to host your business. This could be a physical storefront or even an online platform.
Next, you’ll need to consider what types of services you want to offer. Some options could include hosting card game tournaments, offering lessons or classes for people interested in learning how to play or even selling card game supplies like decks, chips, and other accessories.
You'll need to advertise your business and create a strong online presence to attract customers. This could include creating a website, promoting your business on social media, and reaching out to local card game communities to spread the word about your business.
Overall, starting a card game business can be a rewarding and exciting venture. It allows you to share your love of card games with others while also building a successful business. You can turn your passion for card games into a thriving business with the right planning and dedication.
In this list, you'll find real-world card game success stories and very profitable examples of starting a card game that makes money.
1. Vertellis ($4.8M/year)
Bart and his partner came up with the idea for Vertellis after creating a handwritten question card game to connect with their families during the holiday season. The game sparked meaningful conversations and brought them closer together. They decided to launch the game through crowdfunding on Facebook, and it quickly gained traction, resulting in 25,000 pre-orders and the birth of their business.
How much money it makes: $4.8M/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 10
Co-founders of Vertellis, a mindfulness brand that sells card games, journals, and an online course, discuss their mission to bring people closer together and their business model which involves around 30% of sales on Amazon and a Facebook ad spend of $2.5 million in 2019, bringing in an average of $400K per month with peaks during Q4.
2. PEAR Cards ($228K/year)
Matthew Roberts, co-founder of PEAR Cards, came up with the idea for his business after using a set of "Positivity Cards" at a friend's party. Inspired by the meaningful and touching experience, Roberts realized the need for more moments like that in people's lives and set out to create PEAR Cards, a card-based tool/game that initiates positive conversations. With the help of his co-founder and friend, Roberts built the initial version of PEAR Cards, gathered feedback, and launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund their production. The brand has since grown through word of mouth, social media, and the support of influential partners like Ad Magic.
How much money it makes: $228K/year
How many people on the team: 1
PEAR Cards is a card-based tool/game that empowers players to open up and initiate positive conversations, and with the help of Ad Magic, their Kickstarter had an all-or-nothing fundraising goal, which they met with so much support the company is now growing through the power of Twitter and Instagram.
3. Online Solitaire ($180K/year)
Holger, a designer-turned-developer, came up with the idea for Online Solitaire after experiencing both a burnout and a failed startup venture. He wanted to work on a project that could generate passive income while leveraging his design skills. Observing that many solitaire websites lacked a well-designed interface, he saw an opportunity to create a better version that focused on aesthetics and usability.
Inspired by Patrick McKenzie's success with Bingo Card Creator, Holger sought out to improve a simple, existing concept rather than invent something brand new. He conducted initial research by scripting App Annie for games that met specific criteria: significant search demand, existing market validation, and a noticeable gap in quality. Holger identified solitaire as a viable option due to its existing popularity and the potential for design improvements.
During the ideation phase, Holger faced the challenge of ensuring his product stood out in a crowded market. He relied on his design background to make aesthetic enhancements and created an MVP within a few weeks to test market reception. This approach allowed him to iterate quickly based on user feedback and revise his designs to improve the user experience, successfully transforming his passion for coding and design into a side-hustle with growth potential.
How much money it makes: $180K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 0
Designer-turned-developer creates Online Solitaire, an online gaming website that features popular solitaire games such as Klondike, Spider, and Freecell, earning about $1,500 each month from SEO and optimization tools like Moz and Firebase.
4. World of Card Games ($48K/year)
Holger, a designer-turned-programmer from Copenhagen, acquired World of Card Games for its potential, increasing its revenue to $4,000/month within a year. Leveraging his experience with Online Solitaire, he seized the opportunity after ongoing discussions with the original owner.
How much money it makes: $48K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 0
This case study article follows the journey of a designer-turned-programmer who acquired a multiplayer card game website, World of Card Games, and managed to increase its revenue to $4,000 per month within a year, sharing insights on building the product, launching the business, and attracting and retaining customers.
5. TAROT STACK ($36K/year)
Shamanth Suresh, co-founder of Tarot Stack, came up with the idea for his business after struggling to find Tarot and Oracle decks with beautiful artwork and meaningful interpretations. With his background in the tech-corporate industry and his partner's expertise in Tarot readings, they decided to create a platform that showcases unique decks produced by independent artists. In just 4 months, they have sold over 250 decks, gained 1 million followers in their affiliate network, and achieved over $15k in gross sales.
How much money it makes: $36K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 2
Tarot Stack sells Tarot and Oracle decks produced by independent artists and helps artists with publishing, printing, marketing, and sales, achieving impressive statistics in its first quarter, including over 250 decks sold, 1 million followers in its affiliate network, and gross sales of over $15k.
6. Hill Gaming Company ($24K/year)
Casey Hill, founder of Hill Gaming Company, was inspired to start his tabletop game business after growing up in a big family that bonded over board games. After finding success buying and selling Magic the Gathering trading cards, Casey decided to create his own card game and launched the highly interactive and strategically deep game called Arkon, which raised over $40,000 on Kickstarter.
How much money it makes: $24K/year
How many people on the team: 0
Hill Gaming Company's founder Casey Hill shares how he built a successful gaming company, achieving $2,000/month in sales and raising $40,000 with their first product launch on Kickstarter.
7. Wise Charlie LLC ($6K/year)
Mihir, a former coder, started Wise Charlie after being inspired by Charlie Munger's book. The project sells a deck of 100 mental model flashcards and has generated $15,000 in sales, gained 780 newsletter subscribers, and amassed 400 Instagram followers. The goal is to help customers improve critical thinking skills by sharing Munger's wisdom in a fun and digestible format.
How much money it makes: $6K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 0
Wise Charlie's founder creates a deck of 100 mental model flashcards that generate $15,000 in sales in 12 months, targeting teachers, parents, and working professionals interested in improving their own thinking.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
