Excuse the gray hairs forming in my hair right now, but I remember when vending machines just contained good ol' healthy (well, sugary) snacks. Now, there are hundreds of machines selling Pokémon cards at airport to stores, and these shining Poké Ball beacons don't just attract scalpers or investors, they're actively taking stock from store shelves.
According to an email seemingly sent by The Pokémon Company International staff, it seems that stock is being reallocated away from vending machines, but in reality, there's more than ever before.
For those not in one of the 28 states that have Pokémon TCG vending machines drawing in collectors like moths to a flame, they're exactly what you'd expect: a vending machine selling packs, booster boxes, tins, and more. While other companies, like The Fan Stand, run their own machines, the official TPCi ones stand out as they offer cards at retail prices.
There's been no shortage of community chatter about the machines, which technically debuted a decade ago but have been rolled out to many more locations in the last couple of years. Common online complaints, revealed with a quick Google search, concern scalpers camping out by these machines and buying up everything before collectors have a shot.
Now, according to a recent Reddit post, a Pokémon Support employee suggests that "Pokémon Center kiosks are being gradually removed from select retail locations" in order to "improve stock consistency [and] reduce regional shortages".
PSA for Vending Machine-goers |MEGATHREAD
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Though we can't verify the source, this idea of having fewer vending machines, leaving more stock for the Pokémon website, seems promising. A physical Pokémon Center vending machine is a nice feature, but with stock so limited and hype so high, it's frustrating for those who can't access the vendors the moment they restock or who don't have a machine near them. So pulling back sounds like a smart move.
This isn't the full story, though, because according to a recent PokéBeach article, the number of Pokémon TCG vending machines in operation has never been higher. In 2024 there were 200 machines. In May 2025 there were 1,473, and there are now 1,871. Despite the promise of better stock allocation and the potential removal of some machines, the number of vending machines has increased 27% in 12 months.
Admittedly, some have been removed. According to PokéBeach, roughly one in seven vending kiosks has been either uninstalled or relocated since May 2025, but the line has been trending upwards still, with 562 machines beating out the 207 removed. Of course, the Pokémon Support agent's email may indicate that the company is starting the process of winding them down from now on. We'll have to wait and see if the numbers begin to decrease.
Personally, I never quite got the appeal. I like the idea of having official Pokémon storefronts with Pokémon Center products on paper, but vending machines just seem to be a single point scalpers can stake out and wait for stock to arrive. It's like a beacon of capitalism, lighting up aisle 17, while people wait to board planes or complete their weekly shopping.
While we can't help you out with physical stock, we can assist you in claiming some retail-priced (or at least reasonably priced) Pokémon packs online. Make sure to join our Wargamer Discord so we can keep you up-to-date on the TCG.