A fresh anti-scalping measure is coming to Pokémon Card Stores, changing how players enter shops and buy products.
Pokémon Trading Card Game stores in Japan are rolling out facial recognition technology as part of a new effort to curb scalping, introducing stricter entry rules designed to stop customers from entering the same store multiple times in a single day to purchase trading cards.
The new policy was announced on 24 July through the official Pokémon Card Game website, just days after The Pokémon Company confirmed it would also begin using Japan's My Number government ID system to verify purchases and lottery entries for Pokémon TCG products both online and in stores.
The latest measures come as demand for Pokémon Trading Card Game products continues to fuel scalping across Japan, making it increasingly difficult for genuine players and collectors to buy newly-released sets.
How does Pokémon TCG's new facial recognition system work?
According to an official notice published on the Pokémon Card Game website, customers aged elementary school and above must undergo facial recognition when entering participating Pokémon Card Stores and receiving a numbered entry ticket. The company said the system has been introduced "to provide a safe and secure shopping environment for all customers, to prevent crime, and to ensure compliance with appropriate entry and purchase rules."
Under the new policy, each customer is limited to one store entry and one numbered ticket per day. If the facial recognition system determines that the same person has already entered the store or received a ticket earlier that day, entry will be refused automatically. The notice also states that customers who decline facial recognition or do not agree to the store's entry rules "will be refused your entry and the issuance of an entry ticket."
Customers leaving the store temporarily, such as to use the restroom, must notify staff before exiting. Anyone who leaves without staff confirmation, or exits the store before completing payment, will not be permitted to re-enter. The Pokémon Company added that facial image data and customers' entry records will only be stored for as long as necessary before being deleted, with personal information handled under the company's existing privacy policy.
Why is The Pokémon Company introducing facial recognition for Pokémon TCG stores?
The facial recognition system is the latest step in The Pokémon Company's ongoing campaign against Pokémon TCG scalping.
Earlier this month, the company announced it would begin using Japan's My Number identification system to restrict purchases and lottery applications, making it more difficult for individuals to repeatedly buy limited products using multiple accounts or identities.
The-newly announced in-store system expands those efforts by targeting repeat physical visits, preventing customers from receiving more than one entry ticket per day at participating Pokémon Card Stores.
While discussion outside Japan has been mixed, reports from Kotaku noted that reactions from many Japanese players on Pokémon Information's X post have generally been supportive, with many welcoming stronger measures against scalpers despite concerns from some overseas fans about the use of facial recognition technology.
