I would like to credit @BaronBrr for inspiring this idea from 1 of his threads - pirates have asked for minigames like cards, Liar's Dice, etc. for a long time, but a great many other pirates fear it would take away from the core of Adventure because then pirates wouldn't readily sail. I believe this fear to become a true reality if implemented.
I also know, however, that matchmaking times in Arena are really quite horrible.
So why not kill 2 seagulls with 1 cannonball?
We put the minigames into Arena, using the tables of the tavern to play while waiting for matches to start in the matchmaking lobby. You may not be able to finish every game as you're eventually thrust into a match, but I think it would be a great way to implement minigames into the game itself, while keeping you occupied and having fun during your wait. You could even have new cosmetics, titles, and commendations made available for playing certain games, hands, or from winning. Imagine having Sea Dog Card-Shark or Sea Dog Pirate Dice sails, or titles such as Card Shark, Lucky Roller, Snake Eyes, etc.!
Thoughts?