Bootleg tarot and oracle decks are often talked about from a buyer’s perspective, but not enough people talk about what it actually feels like on the creator’s side.

As someone who creates decks, reviews them, and runs a spiritual business, this is something I’ve had to sit with and really understand. The impact goes deeper than most people realize.

It’s Not Just a Copy, It’s Years of Work

Creating a deck is not a quick process.

It takes months, sometimes years, of sketching, researching, testing, revising, and refining. Every card is thought through. Every symbol is placed with intention. The guidebook, the structure, the system, all of it takes time.

So when that work gets copied and sold for a fraction of the price, it’s not just a product being duplicated. It’s years of effort being reduced to something disposable.

It Affects More Than Just Income

Yes, there is a financial impact.

Every bootleg sale is a sale that does not go to the original creator. For indie creators especially, that matters. It affects how we fund future projects, how we sustain our work, and whether we can continue creating at all.

But it goes beyond money.

There is an emotional side to it too. Seeing your work reproduced without permission can feel discouraging, especially when you know how much of yourself you put into it.

It Changes How Our Work Is Experienced

Bootleg decks are often made with lower quality materials.

That means:

• Thinner cardstock
• Poor print quality
• Missing or altered guidebooks
• Inconsistent colors or details

When someone’s first experience with a deck is through a bootleg version, they are not experiencing the work as it was intended. That disconnect matters, especially for something as personal as tarot.

It Disconnects the Creator From the User

One of the most meaningful parts of creating a deck is the connection between creator and user.

When someone buys an authentic deck, they are not just buying cards. They are supporting the person behind it. They are engaging with the intention, the story, and the energy that went into creating it.

Bootlegs remove that connection. The deck becomes just another product, stripped of context and meaning.

It Creates Confusion in the Community

Bootlegs also contribute to confusion, especially for newer readers.

People may not realize they bought a copy. They may assume the quality is normal. They may not even know who the original creator is.

Over time, this makes it harder to distinguish authentic work from copied versions, which affects trust within the community.

It’s Not Always About Affordability, But Awareness

I often see people defend bootleg decks by saying they can only afford the cheaper option. And while I understand that not everyone has the budget for indie decks, it’s still important to reflect on what that choice means.

At the end of the day, a bootleg deck is an unauthorized copy of someone else’s work. It benefits from a creator’s time, skill, and effort without supporting them in return.

What makes this more complex is that tarot and other spiritual tools often teach values like self-awareness, integrity, and alignment. Supporting something that takes from a creator without permission can feel out of sync with those principles.

It also raises another question, why not normalize saving up for the original deck instead? Taking the time to invest in something intentionally, or even doing a few extra readings to afford it, can make the experience feel more aligned and meaningful.

This isn’t about shaming anyone. It’s about awareness. When you understand what goes into creating a deck and how bootlegs affect creators, it gives you the space to make a more intentional choice.

Why It Still Matters to Me

As a creator, I care about the integrity of the work.

Tarot decks are not just visual projects. They are tools for reflection, healing, and connection. When that process is respected, it shows in the final product.

When it’s not, that shows too.

Bootleg decks might seem like a small issue from the outside, but for creators, they add up.

They affect income, motivation, and the way our work is experienced and shared.

At the end of the day, supporting authentic decks is not just about ownership. It’s about respecting the time, care, and intention that goes into creating something meaningful.

And for creators like me, that respect makes all the difference.