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The Japan Open Poker Tour (JOPT) is facing criticism after revealing that the winner of its upcoming Ladies Championship in Tokyo would receive 150 condoms and lubricant as part of her prize package. The event, with a buy-in of ¥30,000 (around $190), is scheduled to take place on October 12 in Tokyo.
The prizes were announced through a partnership with Sagami, a Japanese condom manufacturer sponsoring the tournament. Runner-up and third-place finishers were also set to receive condoms, lubricant, and branded merchandise, in addition to jewelry and clothing items such as hoodies, t-shirts, and socks.
The announcement quickly drew criticism on social media, with user @whitezexy questioning why an event meant to encourage female participation in poker would reward players with large quantities of sexual products. Other users, including @rion_maki_QQ, acknowledged the importance of sexual health awareness but questioned the appropriateness of tying such prizes specifically to a women-only tournament.
Sagami stated that its involvement reflects its founding philosophy of “Fun First, Respect Always,” a principle credited to founder Saku Matsukawa, who created Japan’s first thin latex condom in 1934 in response to high rates of unwanted pregnancies at the time.
Following the backlash, JOPT removed the specific prize details from its website, though a press release had described them simply as “Sagami Product Gift Sets.” Some critics, such as @taku88pocket, warned that the controversy could discourage women from joining the event altogether.
The incident comes amid growing popularity for poker in Japan, with the JOPT’s 2025 festival drawing a record 60 sponsors and generating an estimated $3 million in total prize pools.
