Pokémon Company Implements Facial Recognition to Combat Scalpers in Japanese Card Shops

The Pokémon Company in Japan has rolled out a new initiative aimed at tackling scalpers in the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) scene: a facial recognition system. This system will monitor if a customer attempts to enter a store more than once in a single day, denying re-entry to anyone trying to make multiple purchases from the same location within a 24-hour period.

This update was shared on the official Pokémon Card Game website on July 24. It’s important to note that this measure is distinct from another announcement made on July 21, which indicated that Japan’s Government ID “My Number” cards would be utilized to restrict Pokémon TCG purchases and lottery entries both online and in physical stores.

The notice states, “At Pokémon Card Stores, 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 aged elementary school age and older when they enter the store and receive their numbered tickets.” It further explains that if multiple entry attempts are detected, staff may address the individual directly.

From the wording of the announcement, it seems that being caught trying to circumvent the facial recognition checks will result in just a warning. However, it remains unclear whether these entry restrictions apply to each store individually or if they would prevent access to other Pokémon locations as well.

Reactions to this news outside of Japan have been mixed, but comments from users in Japan on a related post appear to largely support the new system. Personally, it’s disheartening to see scalping has escalated to the point where such measures are necessary. I can’t help but feel uneasy about the idea of consenting to facial recognition just to buy some cards, especially if similar systems were implemented elsewhere.