The Pokémon Company Considers Government ID Check to Combat Trading Card Scalping in Japan
The Pokémon Company announced plans to implement government-issued ID verification in Japan to combat scalping and unfair purchasing practices in the Pokémon Trading Card Game market. Starting in August 2026, Japanese residents will need to present their My Number Card—Japan’s official government-issued identification—when making purchases through Pokémon Center Online, participating in priority lottery product sales, and registering for official events and tournaments.
The initiative addresses a persistent industry problem where resellers have exploited supply shortages to purchase cards in bulk and resell them at inflated prices, leaving casual fans unable to access products at retail prices. By implementing ID verification, The Pokémon Company aims to enforce purchase limits and ensure one transaction per individual, thereby providing fairer access to its products and events.
The system will function through smartphone scanning of the My Number Card via an external third-party service. The Pokémon Company emphasized that it will not retain or store personal information collected during the verification process, prioritizing customer privacy concerns that naturally arise with government ID scanning. The company positioned the measure as essential for maintaining “fair and safe opportunities” for all customers to enjoy its services.
This represents an unusual industry response to scalping, as most companies rely on traditional measures like purchase limits or queue systems. The implementation in Japan may serve as a pilot for potential expansion to other markets facing similar scalping challenges with high-demand collectible products.