1) really cool idea
2) IMO as a gambler scratch tickets were always laughable. I'll play something small at 96% payout if all my friends want to fire on it and there are free drinks. Playing a 50% payout game, similar to most USA state lotteries is like lighting the money on fire. I always thought if someone did scratch tickets right, made it a 95% payout game and didn't try and gauge like the state lotteries have for years, it would become a fun game that recreational gamblers will finally be able to play and only lose a little.
IMO: make it more fair of a payout structure, and you have yourself a winner. Keep it 50% payout, it will be a novelty but not very widely played.
Interesting points- but some things to take into consideration;
1. The cost of producing the tickets, the profit that physical vendors need to make to sell them, and the distribution costs, means that the payout structure needs to take into consideration the costs of internationally distributing the physical game. If you saw how much it costs to implement such a thing you would understand that its not 'gouging' like state lotteries, its just making it financially viable.
2. As a full on gambler this probably isn't a product that is for you. There are many online gambling avenues for the professional/hardcore gambler to make his money, which have 0 overhead costs and therefore can offer a 96% payout return and 4% to the house. We are not trying to compete with them.
3. As you said it yourself- this is a novelty. Gaming is supposed to be fun, this is supposed to be fun. Gambling is supposed to be an addiction. Compare it to alcohol, some people go and find a tasty wine or beer, wheras other people stand in the drinks isle doing the math on which beverage has the most alcohol for their dollar, and don't care about the taste.
To sum up- theres 6 billion people in the world, and something for everyone
