The Pokémon Trading Card Game continues to face massive problems with scalpers buying up limited products before regular players and collectors ever get a chance. Booster boxes, premium collections, and limited releases regularly disappear within minutes, only to reappear online at heavily inflated prices.
Now, The Pokémon Company appears ready to take more serious action against the growing issue. Reports from Japan reveal the company is considering a government ID verification system aimed at reducing reseller abuse and making purchases fairer for legitimate fans.
The proposed system would reportedly use Japan’s official “My Number Card” identification system for certain Pokémon services and online purchases. If implemented, users may need to verify their identity before entering lotteries for high-demand products or participating in official events.
Government Verification Could Begin In 2026
According to reports coming out of Japan, the verification system may begin rolling out during 2026. The system would connect a player’s Pokémon account to verified identification using smartphone authentication technology.
The Pokémon Company reportedly wants to use the feature for:
- Pokémon Center Online purchase lotteries
- Limited Pokémon TCG product sales
- Tournament registrations
- Official competitive events
The company claims the purpose is to prevent duplicate accounts, mass-buying abuse, and reseller manipulation that has increasingly frustrated the Pokémon community over the past few years.
Pokémon TCG Scalpers Continue To Frustrate Fans
Scalping has become one of the biggest complaints within the Pokémon TCG scene. Many collectors and casual players have struggled to find products at normal retail prices due to automated buying systems, reseller groups, and organized flipping operations.
Certain expansions and premium boxes have become nearly impossible to obtain at launch without paying significantly inflated reseller prices. In some regions, stores have even introduced purchase limits, locked cabinets, and special queues to handle overwhelming demand.
The situation has also affected competitive players, who sometimes struggle to obtain important cards without spending far beyond normal retail value.
Privacy Concerns Already Emerging
While many players support stronger anti-scalping protections, others are already raising concerns about privacy and data security. Some fans are uncomfortable with the idea of linking government-issued identification to gaming accounts or online card purchases.
The Pokémon Company reportedly stated that personal identification numbers themselves would not be stored permanently. Instead, authentication would rely on existing certificate systems already built into Japan’s identification infrastructure.
Still, some players worry the move could create barriers for younger fans or individuals without access to the required identification cards.
A Sign Of How Serious The Scalping Problem Has Become
The fact that a company as large as The Pokémon Company is considering government ID verification shows how serious the scalping problem has become across the trading card industry.
Over the past several years, the Pokémon TCG market has exploded in popularity again, attracting not only collectors and players, but also large numbers of resellers looking to profit from artificial scarcity and hype-driven demand.
Whether the proposed verification system will successfully reduce scalping remains unclear, but it signals that companies are becoming increasingly willing to introduce stricter controls to protect both product availability and the long-term health of their communities.
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