GameStop Bans Pokémon Scalpers Using Scales to Detect Rare Packs

• Pokémon TCG packs have become a hot target for scalpers, driving up resale prices.
• Several stores and collectors across the U.S. have reported high-value losses, highlighting the market’s growing risk.
• GameStop’s ban on scale-weighing leaves fans divided over its effectiveness and potential publicity motives.

GameStop has announced it will permanently ban customers caught using scales to weigh Pokémon Trading Card Game packs in its U.S. stores, a practice scalpers use to identify packs containing rare, valuable cards.

The video game retailer shared footage on X on November 17, 2025, showing someone apparently weighing sealed One Piece card packs in one of its stores. The company said anyone engaging in similar behavior would face a permanent store ban.

Scalpers employ scales because rare or foil cards make sealed packs marginally heavier than standard packs. By selecting heavier packs, they increase their chances of obtaining high-value cards for resale, leaving lighter packs with common cards for other customers.

GameStop Pokémon Card Policy Faces Mixed Customer Response

The ban has received mixed reactions from collectors and customers. While some praised the measure as necessary to protect legitimate buyers, others questioned how GameStop would identify and enforce the policy against scalpers.

Critics also pointed to GameStop's practice of pricing certain packs above manufacturer's suggested retail price. The retailer excluded Pokémon products from its Black Friday promotions, leading some customers to view the ban as a publicity move rather than genuine reform.

GameStop Chief Executive Officer said in June 2025 that the company would expand its focus on card games. He described the category as aligned with the company's heritage and trade-in model while appealing to its core customer base and remaining rooted in physical retail.

The retailer reported revenue growth of more than 50% in the first quarter of 2025, with Pokémon card games accounting for a significant portion of the increase.