Pokémon Could Soon Use National ID Verification In an Attempt to Fight Scalpers

Summary

• The Pokémon Company has announced plans to introduce a My Number Card identity verification system for select Pokémon TCG product lotteries on Pokémon Center Online and some official Japanese tournaments, targeting an August 2026 launch
• Authentication will work via smartphone IC chip reading linked to a player’s Players Club account; the company has confirmed it will not collect or store customers’ My Number personal identification numbers
• The announcement arrives against a backdrop of years of severe scalping and multi-account bot abuse that has made fair access to Pokémon TCG products in Japan increasingly difficult for genuine collectors and players

The Pokémon Company has announced it is exploring the introduction of My Number Card identity verification for select Pokémon TCG product lotteries and official events in Japan, with an August 2026 target for initial rollout. The system will use smartphone IC chip reading to authenticate a player’s identity against their Players Club account, with a specific assurance that the My Number personal identification number itself will not be collected or stored by the company.

The context for this announcement is not subtle. Pokémon TCG Japan has been dealing with a structural access problem since the market exploded in 2020, when a combination of pandemic-era nostalgia, viral unboxing culture, and speculative investment turned what was once a children’s card game into one of the most aggressively scalped collectible markets in the world. In Japan specifically, the situation has been particularly acute: resellers exploiting multiple Players Club accounts to enter product lotteries repeatedly, bots sweeping stock within seconds of online releases, and genuine players and collectors consistently unable to access products at retail. The My Number Card system is a direct structural response to that problem — the most significant intervention The Pokémon Company Japan has attempted to date.

The authentication mechanics are designed with privacy in mind. Rather than collecting the My Number personal identification number itself, the system will use the card’s User Certificate and Card Surface Input Assistance functions, which verify identity without exposing the underlying personal number. A smartphone reads the IC chip embedded in the My Number Card via an external service, linking the verified identity to the customer’s Players Club account. One person, one account, one lottery entry. The system is not yet confirmed for all products or all events.

The announcement carries an implicit deadline for anyone who does not yet have a My Number Card. Card issuance in Japan typically takes one to two months from application to receipt, meaning customers who want to participate in affected lotteries or events from August 2026 onward should begin the application process promptly. The Pokémon Company has specifically flagged this in its announcement, recommending early applications for customers without a card who anticipate using the relevant services.

Whether the system fully solves the access problem is a separate question. Identity verification removes the multi-account lottery manipulation issue and raises the barrier for bot operators, but it does not address secondary market demand or the fundamental gap between supply and the number of people who want the product. What it does do is make the lottery system meaningfully fairer for the people participating in it honestly — which, given how long that has not been the case, is a significant step.

The Pokémon TCG My Number Card identity verification system is targeting an August 2026 launch for select Pokémon Center Online lotteries and official events in Japan. Exact products, events, and operating rules will be confirmed closer to launch.