Scalping Has Gotten So Bad That The Pokemon Company Is Limiting Certain TCG Packs to Japanese Citizens Only
The Pokémon Company will restrict sales of several premium Pokémon Trading Card Game items to Japanese citizens only, requiring official government ID to combat rampant scalping. Buyers will need to verify their identity using Japan's Digital Identification App alongside their My Number Card, marking the company's first-ever ID-guarded purchase restrictions on its online store. The move follows growing frustration across the collectables industry, where high-demand card products and merchandise are routinely bought up by resellers and flipped for inflated prices.
The restricted items include the Mega Expansion Pack 30th Celebration Box (7,200 yen, roughly $46), the Mega 30th Celebration Futuristic Box (27,500 yen, about $174), the Espeon and Umbreon Premium Deck Set (6,200 yen, around $39), and the Mega 30th Celebration Card Set (10,800 yen, roughly $68). The policy follows earlier anti-scalping measures such as facial recognition checks at Japanese card shops, and was foreshadowed in July by Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa. Scalping remains a wider problem in collectables, with recent examples including Disney Lorcana card chaos in the US and Europe, and inflated resale prices for One Piece bento boxes and Pokémon Pop-Tarts.
In short
- Pokémon Company limits some TCG packs to Japanese ID holders only
- Digital ID app and My Number Card required to verify citizenship
- Follows facial recognition checks and wider scalping problems industry-wide
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters argue that scalping represents genuine harm to the Pokémon community, preventing fans from purchasing products at fair prices and undermining the collectibles ecosystem. They contend that ID verification is a proportionate, targeted measure applied fairly to Japanese citizens purchasing from Japan's official store, protecting the integrity of product launches whilst preserving the fan experience. Companies have the right and responsibility to control distribution channels, and this measure follows logically from earlier anti-scalping efforts that have gained little public resistance.
The case against
Critics contend that nationality-based purchase restrictions constitute discriminatory consumer practice and set a troubling precedent for how companies treat different customer groups. They argue that requiring government ID verification raises significant privacy concerns and is unlikely to be effective against sophisticated resellers using proxies or alternative channels. This approach places the burden on legitimate customers rather than addressing underlying economic incentives, and it unfairly excludes international residents whilst doing little to stop determined scalpers.
Explained simply
Pokémon trading cards are sold in packs and special boxed sets, with some releases attracting far more buyers than the available stock. Resellers, often called scalpers, buy sought-after items quickly and list them again at higher prices, making them harder for ordinary fans to buy at the original price.
The Pokémon Company makes the Pokémon Trading Card Game and sells its products through shops and its online store. In Japan, card shops have already tried measures such as checking customers’ faces to limit repeat buying, while Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa signalled in July that stronger steps were being considered.
The issue matters because limited supplies and high resale prices affect both collectors and people who play the game. Similar shortages and resale mark-ups have affected other popular collectables, including Disney Lorcana and One Piece merchandise.
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