My Number Card Identity Verification Comes to TCGs — What Pokémon Started, and BANDAI TCG+'s Announcement That It Is Considering It Too

A big topic in the Japanese TCG scene right now is identity verification using My Number Cards (Japan’s national ID card). The Pokémon Trading Card Game kicked it off, with the system going live in August 2026 for lottery sales and more. And on August 5, the official BANDAI CARD GAMES X account announced it is considering introducing the system for the official BANDAI TCG+ app.

The NARUTO Card Game is scheduled for a simultaneous worldwide release in summer 2027, and BANDAI TCG+ is the app expected to serve as its gateway for events and lotteries. This article sorts out the facts that can be confirmed as of August 5, 2026.

This article is based only on official announcements and press reports (updated on the evening of August 5 to reflect the BANDAI CARD GAMES announcement).

What is the Pokémon TCG’s “My Number verification”?

On May 21, 2026, the Pokémon TCG officially announced it was considering an identity verification system using My Number Cards (official notice, Japanese). The key points:

• Purpose: to give all customers a fair chance and a safe, secure experience
• Where it applies: priority lottery slots and sales for select products at Pokémon Center Online, and entry for some official tournaments in Japan
• How it works: a smartphone reads the My Number Card’s IC chip to verify the user’s Players Club account, using the card’s digital certificate functions
• Privacy: the actual My Number (the 12-digit personal ID) is never collected or stored

In July, the company announced the system would use the Digital Agency’s official “Digital Authentication App” and asked users to register in advance (official notice, Japanese). Operation reportedly began on August 3. For new product lotteries, most winning slots are now reserved for verified users — making it a practical countermeasure against scalping and duplicate entries.

BANDAI TCG+ officially announces it is considering the system

Then on August 5, the official BANDAI CARD GAMES X account (@official_BCG_JP) posted the following (official post, Japanese; our translation):

[Important notice regarding BANDAI TCG+]

To provide all customers with fair opportunities and a safer, more secure service, we are considering the introduction of an identity verification system using “My Number Cards.”

The wording closely mirrors Pokémon’s May notice, showing the industry-wide shift toward identity verification has reached Bandai. That said, the only confirmed fact so far is that the system is under consideration — the start date, target services, and verification method are all unannounced.

There was a lead-up to this. At Bandai Namco Holdings’ annual shareholders meeting on June 22, 2026, a shareholder cited Pokémon’s example and proposed identity verification using My Number Cards. The company called the scalping situation “deeply regrettable,” pointed to its continued use of eKYC (electronic identity verification) and stronger anti-bot measures, and answered that it would “continue to consider the matter while monitoring what other companies do” (report by Otaku Soken, Japanese). The August 5 post makes it official that this consideration is now moving forward for BANDAI TCG+.

What this means for NARUTO Card Game players

Product sales and event details for the NARUTO Card Game are still unannounced, but for Bandai TCGs, the official BANDAI TCG+ app is the gateway for event entry — and the NARUTO Card Game already runs its official updates channel there.

If the system is introduced, My Number Card verification could be required for product lotteries and tournament entry. In Pokémon’s case, app registrations surged right before launch, prompting the company to urge users to register early.

What you can do now is simple:

Prep	Details
Register on BANDAI TCG+	See the registration guide and subscribe to the NARUTO channel
Know the system	Pokémon uses “My Number Card + Digital Authentication App”; Bandai’s method is unannounced, but obtaining a My Number Card puts residents of Japan ahead
Follow the news	We will report as soon as the start date and target services are announced

Note: My Number Cards are issued to residents of Japan, so this system mainly affects sales and events in Japan. How overseas players would be handled is entirely unannounced.

Summary

• The Pokémon TCG began My Number Card identity verification in August 2026 (used for lottery sales and some official tournaments in Japan)
• On August 5, the official BANDAI CARD GAMES X account announced it is considering the system for BANDAI TCG+ — start date, scope, and method are unannounced
• The NARUTO Card Game launches in summer 2027 — registering on BANDAI TCG+, the likely gateway for lotteries and events, is the best prep available today

The trend toward identity verification across the TCG industry is real. We will report here as soon as there is further news on BANDAI TCG+ or how it will apply to the NARUTO Card Game.