Sam Kiki shifts focus from MonkeyTilt to Pokémon collectibles venture

Sam Kiki, a high-stakes poker player and founder of MonkeyTilt, is transitioning his business focus from the gambling sector to the collectibles market through a new venture called Tilt Rips. Kiki is winding down MonkeyTilt’s casino and sportsbook operations to concentrate on Tilt Rips, a digital platform where users can purchase virtual packs containing Pokémon, One Piece, and sports cards.

Kiki stated that while the world does not need more crypto casinos, there is significant potential for innovation in the collectibles space. To maintain continuity, early investors and employees from MonkeyTilt have been granted equivalent stakes in Tilt Rips.

The new platform offers virtual packs ranging in price from 10 cents to $3,000. Kiki intends to expand Tilt Rips beyond digital packs to include services such as grading, insurance, and lending, with potential future expansions into other luxury goods like sneakers and handbags. He also expressed interest in utilizing artificial intelligence to automate the card grading process.