I didn’t knew people were trying to use Roobet art competition as a way to earn free merits, because if that’s the case sooner or later merit sources will realise this and stop meriting hence members should stop doing it. Lastly Roobet competitions are for fun and for the rewards they give, hence if one try’s to constantly game it then they’ll be blacklisted by merit sources so my 2cents don’t try to game it.
If they can make great arts, they deserve merits for their works. If they just make shit posts and receive merits, it can be matter of merit compromise that is easily detected.
Roobet run many art (digital or hand-made) and I watched those threads sometimes. Frankly there are participants with great arts and I don't think any issue with their merited arts. I can miss something people are discussing here but in the past, I did not see merit abuse in Roobet art contests.
I don't see any wrong giving merits to the arts because we called merits a token of appreciation there are a lot of competition held by the roobet and all of that runs smoothly. There is some users/ artist who is really good talent in craftsman, digital art etc. Of course, giving merits can be subjective too so I think there's nothing wrong with it still the merit holder have the right to use their merits.