The Pokémon Company has announced a major anti-scalping initiative for its Pokémon Center stores in Japan by introducing facial recognition technology to verify customers before they enter. The new system is designed to prevent repeat purchases of highly sought-after Pokémon Trading Card Game products and other limited merchandise, which have frequently been targeted by resellers.
The updated policy was published by The Pokémon Company on its official website and introduces stricter entry and purchasing rules for customers. According to the company, the system aims to create “a safe and secure shopping environment” while ensuring more fans have an opportunity to buy limited products at retail prices instead of inflated resale values.
Facial recognition will enforce one entry and purchase per day
In its official guidance, The Pokémon Company explained that facial recognition will be used to verify visitors entering participating Pokémon Center stores. The technology is intended to enforce the existing rule that customers may only enter and make purchases once per day.
The company stated:
“In order to provide a safe and secure shopping environment for all customers, to prevent crime, and to ensure compliance with appropriate entry and purchase rules, we will be using a facial recognition system to verify the identity of customers.”
If the system determines that the same individual has entered the store multiple times in a single day or obtained more than one entry ticket, access will automatically be denied. The only exemption applies to children below elementary school age, who will not be required to undergo facial recognition.
Customers who decline facial recognition will also be unable to enter participating stores, as acceptance of the system is now a condition of entry. However, The Pokémon Company noted that facial data will not be stored permanently and will be deleted after a specified period.
Demand for Pokémon Trading Card Game products has surged globally in recent years, with popular releases often selling out within minutes before appearing on resale marketplaces at significantly higher prices. Pokémon Center locations have experimented with lotteries, purchase limits, and timed entry in the past, but scalping has remained a persistent problem.
The facial recognition initiative mirrors measures already used by some Japanese retailers. For example, Gundam Base stores have implemented similar verification systems to restrict purchases of exclusive merchandise and prevent repeat buyers from exploiting limited-stock releases.
While the policy has sparked privacy discussions among fans, it represents one of the strongest anti-scalping measures introduced by The Pokémon Company to date. If successful, it could improve product availability for legitimate collectors and players by reducing opportunities for resellers to bypass daily purchase restrictions.
