A Pokémon store in Japan has figured out a novel way to fight off scalpers: It’s asking customers to pass a quiz before they’re allowed to buy Pokémon products. Dexerto spotted a post on X from Ryo Saeba that reported the store is asking people to answer a 15-question quiz before they can buy any of the trading card game cards.
According to Saeba, this method is working—they claim scalpers are failing the tests, and so are unable to buy cards before genuine Pokémon fans are able to get their hands on them.
The test is being carried out by a store called BicCamera, based in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, which alongside cameras sells various other tech, produce and toys, which includes Pokémon cards. The quiz appears to be being applied to the most recent Japanese Mega Evolution set, Ninja Spinner, launched in March and proving extremely popular thanks to heavily featuring Mega Greninja ex. (We will see the cards May 22 when Chaos Rising releases.) With 30-pack boxes limited to one per customer, even after passing the challenge, the situation really underlines the continuing woeful lack of Pokémon products available.
Pour lutter contre les scalpers, le Bic Camera Ikebukuro a mis en place un quiz Pokémon obligatoire.
15 questions basiques sur l’univers Pokémon à réussir pour pouvoir acheter des cartes.
D’après les témoignages, les revendeurs n’ont pas réussi à passer le test #Japon #Pokemon pic.twitter.com/XoF2By6Q8h— ⛩ Ryo Saeba | Japon XYZ ⛩ (@Ryo_Saeba_3) April 27, 2026
And that’s not even the extent of BicCamera’s rules. Even after answering the questions correctly, the store will then slash the plastic wrap on the booster box to make it harder to resell. And the poster notes that if anyone is caught photographing the question sheet, the store will simply stop selling the Pokémon cards entirely!
We certainly are living in ridiculous times for the hobby. It’s unclear whether customers have to get all 15 questions correct, or if store employees just need to get a general idea that adult customers actually care about the cards they’re buying, but damn Pokémon Company, you really have to get production ramped up at some point.