Pokemon TCG Japan May Use My Number Cards To Fight Scalpers

30 May 2026
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8 min.
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Pokemon TCG Japan May Use My Number Cards To Fight Scalpers

Summary:

The Pokemon Company is considering one of its strongest measures yet for the Japanese Pokemon TCG market: using Japan’s My Number Card system as an identity verification step for select Pokemon card sales, priority lotteries, and official events. The proposal would connect a player’s verified identity to their Pokemon Card Game Player Club account, with authentication handled through a smart device reading the IC chip inside a My Number Card. The goal is simple on paper: give customers fairer access, make it harder for scalpers to exploit high-demand releases, and reduce the risk of improper event participation through substitute players or duplicate accounts. Still, the plan carries a very real tradeoff. My Number Cards are not held by everyone, and the application process can take time, meaning some legitimate fans may suddenly face extra steps before they can buy certain products or enter specific events. Pokemon says it does not plan to acquire or store the individual My Number itself, which is an important privacy point, but the idea still shows how serious the Japanese Pokemon card market has become. Once a trading card game reaches the point where government-issued digital ID enters the conversation, the problem is clearly bigger than a few eager resellers refreshing a store page.

Pokemon Japan weighs a stricter answer to TCG scalping

The Pokemon TCG has always had a collector’s spark, but in Japan that spark has often turned into a full-on bonfire whenever popular sets, special boxes, or limited products appear. High demand can be exciting. It makes midnight reveals feel electric, turns booster boxes into treasure chests, and gives the community plenty to talk about. The downside is less charming. When too many products are snapped up by people looking to resell them at inflated prices, regular players and collectors end up standing outside the candy shop with their noses pressed against the glass. That is the problem The Pokemon Company appears to be targeting with its proposed My Number Card verification system. The company says it is considering identity checks to provide fair opportunities and safer use of its services. In plain English, Pokemon wants fewer loopholes, fewer duplicate entries, and a stronger way to make sure the person entering a lottery or event is actually the person behind the account.

What the My Number Card plan would actually change

The proposed system would bring official identity authentication into parts of the Pokemon TCG buying and event process in Japan. Instead of relying only on a regular account login, certain actions could require a verified Pokemon Card Game Player Club account linked through a My Number Card check. That is a big shift, because it moves the process away from simple digital signups and into government-issued identification. The My Number Card is an official Japanese identification card connected to Japan’s national personal identification system, and it includes an IC chip that can be scanned with a compatible smart device. For Pokemon, the practical goal seems to be account integrity. If one verified person is tied to one account for certain high-demand activities, it becomes much harder for bad actors to flood lotteries with repeated entries or hide behind throwaway accounts. It is the difference between a paper wristband at a concert and a proper ticket scan at the door.

How account verification would work through Player Club

The planned authentication flow would use an external service and a smartphone or similar smart device to read the IC chip on a user’s My Number Card. That verification would then authenticate the person’s Pokemon Card Game Player Club account. This matters because Player Club is already central to the organized Pokemon TCG experience in Japan, especially for event registration and player account management. By placing identity verification at that account level, Pokemon can apply the check across different services without making every sale or event feel like a separate paperwork puzzle. The system is still under consideration, so the final details could change, including exactly which products, events, age groups, and account situations are covered. Still, the basic direction is clear. Pokemon is looking at a stronger gatekeeping tool for moments where fairness is difficult to protect with ordinary account rules alone.

Which Pokemon TCG sales and events could be affected

The current plan is not framed as a blanket requirement for every Pokemon card purchase in Japan. Instead, it is aimed at specific pressure points where demand, scarcity, and account abuse can cause the most trouble. Pokemon has identified priority lotteries and sales for some products on Pokemon Center Online as part of the potential scope. It has also mentioned participation applications for some official tournaments and events held in Japan. That distinction matters. A casual fan walking into a store for sleeves or a regular product may not necessarily face the same requirements, while a limited release or major event could be treated differently. This targeted approach makes sense if the goal is to reduce friction where possible while still tightening the doors around the most abused systems. Nobody wants to show a digital ID just to browse Pikachu goods, but rare boxes and event spots are another story.

Why scalping has pushed Pokemon toward stronger checks

Scalping is not just annoying because prices go up. It changes the whole mood around a hobby. Instead of excitement, fans start feeling dread. Instead of planning decks, people plan checkout strategies. Instead of sharing pull photos, collectors trade stories about failed lottery entries and sold-out pages. Pokemon TCG products are especially vulnerable because they sit at the intersection of play, collecting, nostalgia, and investment speculation. When a product becomes a target for resale, ordinary purchase limits can be dodged through multiple accounts, family accounts, automated behavior, or coordinated entries. That is where identity verification becomes tempting for a company. It is a heavier tool, but it attacks the root of the loophole: the ability to pretend that many accounts represent many different customers. By tying sensitive actions to verified identity, Pokemon may be trying to make each entry feel more like a real person and less like a swarm of digital disguises.

What this could mean for regular collectors and players

For honest fans, the possible benefits are easy to understand. If the system works as intended, high-demand products could become less vulnerable to mass lottery abuse, and tournament entries could become harder to manipulate. That could mean a better shot for players who simply want to buy cards at normal prices or attend official events without feeling like they are competing against invisible armies of duplicate accounts. Still, there is a thorny side to this rose. The My Number Card is not something every person in Japan necessarily has ready in a drawer. Applying can take roughly one to two months, and that delay could become a real barrier for players who only discover the requirement shortly before an event or product lottery. Younger players, families, overseas fans, and people who are uncomfortable with ID-based systems may also face extra questions. Fairness sounds simple until the solution asks everyone to bring paperwork to the party.

The privacy detail Pokemon is already trying to clarify

One important detail in Pokemon’s announcement is that the company says it does not plan to acquire or store the customer’s My Number itself. The intended verification would use information from the card’s electronic certificates and card data input support functions through an external service, rather than Pokemon directly collecting the personal number. That clarification is not a tiny footnote. It is likely essential to public trust, because any system involving government-issued identity can make people nervous, even when the goal is fair access. Fans want scalpers stopped, but they also want their personal information handled carefully. Pokemon appears aware of that tension and is trying to separate identity confirmation from storing sensitive personal identifiers. Whether that reassures everyone is another question. Trust is a bit like a rare holo card: once scratched, it is hard to make it look mint again.

The biggest question is whether fairness creates friction

The heart of this proposal is a tradeoff between fairness and accessibility. On one side, stronger ID checks could make product lotteries and event signups harder to exploit. On the other side, every extra step creates friction for real customers too. A scalper might be annoyed by new verification hurdles, but so might a parent setting up an account for their child, a new player who just discovered the game, or a longtime collector who has never needed a My Number Card for Pokemon purchases before. That is why the final design will matter so much. If Pokemon applies the system only to the most sensitive products and events, the community may see it as a necessary shield. If it feels too broad, confusing, or difficult, frustration could spill over quickly. Fans want a fair queue, not a maze. The smartest version of this system would block abuse without making ordinary players feel like they need a strategy manual before buying cards.

Why the August 2026 target matters for Japanese players

Pokemon is considering launching the system around August 2026 for certain online sales lotteries and event uses. That timing matters because the company is already encouraging people who do not have a My Number Card to apply early, since issuance can take around one to two months. In practical terms, this is a warning flare. Anyone in Japan who regularly enters Pokemon Center Online lotteries or official Pokemon TCG events may want to pay attention before the system becomes active. Waiting until a major product appears could be risky if verification becomes required and the card is not ready. At the same time, Pokemon has not yet finalized every detail, including the exact products, events, authentication process, and age-based rules. That means players are stuck in a slightly awkward middle ground: the direction is clear, but the final map is not finished. It is a bit like seeing the next Gym Leader’s silhouette before knowing their team.

Conclusion

The Pokemon Company’s proposed My Number Card verification system shows how seriously it is treating the problems around Pokemon TCG sales and official events in Japan. The plan could make it harder for scalpers and duplicate accounts to dominate high-demand lotteries, while also helping protect tournament integrity. At the same time, it could introduce new hurdles for legitimate fans who do not already have a My Number Card or who are unsure about linking official ID verification to a hobby account. The most important details are still pending, including which products and events will require verification and how age-related rules will work. For now, the message is clear enough: Pokemon wants a fairer system, but the final test will be whether that system helps regular players without making the path into the hobby feel too narrow.

FAQs
  • What is Pokemon Japan considering for Pokemon TCG purchases?
    • Pokemon is considering a My Number Card-based identity verification system for certain Pokemon TCG product lotteries, selected Pokemon Center Online sales, and some official events in Japan.
  • Would every Pokemon TCG purchase require My Number Card verification?
    • Based on the current announcement, the system is being considered for specific priority lotteries, some product sales, and selected official event applications, not every ordinary Pokemon TCG purchase.
  • How would the Pokemon TCG My Number Card check work?
    • The planned method would use an external service and a smart device to scan the IC chip on a My Number Card, then authenticate the user’s Pokemon Card Game Player Club account.
  • When could Pokemon introduce this verification system in Japan?
    • Pokemon is considering a start around August 2026 for certain online sales lotteries and event uses, although the final timing and full scope have not yet been confirmed.
  • Will Pokemon store a user’s My Number?
    • Pokemon says it does not plan to acquire or store the customer’s My Number itself as part of this measure, with verification handled through the card’s electronic identity functions and an external service.
Sources
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