Walmart Introduces Lottery System Amid Pokémon TCG Supply Issues

As the Pokémon TCG nears two years of ongoing shortages, starting with the November 2024 release of Surging Sparks, retail stores are scrambling for innovative ways to tackle the issue. We’ve seen a variety of responses, from some retailers trying to curb scalping to others becoming scalpers themselves, while The Pokémon Company International continues to assert that solutions are just around the corner. The latest major player to roll out a new strategy is Walmart, which is implementing an online lottery system.

While lotteries for purchasing Pokémon cards aren’t a new idea, they are less common in the U.S. compared to other regions. Japanese retailers, including Amazon Japan, have frequently used this approach, and it has also been adopted in official Pokémon Centers across the country. Now, as noted by an outlet, Walmart is introducing a lottery system for customers looking to buy specific Pokémon TCG products online.

Due to what seems to be obscure gambling regulations, Walmart is referring to this as a “drawing,” designed to “give customers a chance to buy select high-demand items.” Instead of waiting for restocks only to find that scalpers and bots have snatched everything up before you can even refresh the page, you can now place an order and simply wait for the outcome.

“Instead of relying on checkout speed,” the site explains, “eligible entries are randomly selected after the drawing entry period closes.” To participate, you’ll need a Walmart account, as everything is linked to that, but no payment is required at the time of entry. If you are randomly chosen, your order will be processed, and you will be charged automatically. Unfortunately, those who aren’t selected will be left in disappointment, as it appears you won’t even receive an email notification about your status.

Moreover, once you “enter a drawing,” there’s no option to cancel your entry before the draw. The rules state that “your entry can’t be canceled or changed,” which is quite a twist. While you might hope that standard retail laws would allow you to return the items afterward, this is uncertain. “Items purchased through a drawing may not be returnable. Drawing orders are subject to Walmart’s Return Policy.”

Despite its flaws, this system is an improvement over the practices of some retailers that are simply inflating card prices. A more effective method used by certain Targets (and Japanese Pokémon Centers) involves opening the packaging at the point of sale, making it significantly harder for scalpers to resell the products, though it’s disappointing for collectors who prefer sealed items. Lotteries may not be a perfect solution, but they do offer a fairer system by leveling the playing field between genuine customers and scalpers, with Walmart claiming it will filter out suspicious entries before conducting the draw.

The entire situation remains absurd, and it’s likely to escalate with the upcoming release of the 30th Anniversary set next month. Get ready for the chaos ahead!