Japan Open Poker Tour Under Fire for Giving 150 Condoms and Lube to Ladies Event Winners

Last Updated on October 6, 2026 by Bala Kumar

A sponsor tie-up meant to celebrate women at the poker table has instead put the Japan Open Poker Tour (JOPT) at the centre of an online storm. The prize list for the tour’s upcoming Ladies Championship in Tokyo promised the winner 150 condoms and three bottles of lubricant, and Japan’s poker community has not held back its reaction.

What was on the prize list

JOPT revealed the partnership with Sagami on Tuesday, October 6, alongside a detailed breakdown of what the top three finishers would take home. The champion’s package was the one that drew attention:

•           12 boxes of Sagami Original condoms, 10 condoms per box

•           3 boxes of Sagami Original Large condoms, 10 per box

•           3 bottles of water-based lubricating gel

That adds up to 150 condoms for first place. The second- and third-place finishers were also listed for condoms and lubricant, in smaller quantities. Alongside the sponsor products, the podium was set to receive jewellery, including pearl rings and ear cuffs, and JOPT merchandise such as hoodies, T-shirts and socks.

In its announcement on X, the tour framed Sagami as a brand that makes products for women and couples and wants to back female players on their poker journey. Within hours, that message was being shared for a very different reason.

Why players are angry

The backlash started when an X user going by @whitezexy posted the prize list with a blunt question: “Is this some kind of joke?” Their argument was simple. A women-only event exists to bring more women into poker, so loading the top three finishers with sex products makes it look as if the winners are being judged as sexual beings rather than as competitors.

They also pointed out that ranking the products by finishing position turned what might have been a health message into a spectacle. If an event is branded for women, they argued, the women should be treated first as poker players.

Other players in Japan’s poker community followed with similar concerns:

•           Turnout fears. Some predicted that fewer women would register for the event because of the prizes.

•           Good intent, poor execution. One player accepted that promoting safer sex and preventing STIs matters, but asked why, if sexual health concerns everyone, the products were tied only to the women’s event.

•           Lack of foresight. Another long post questioned how organisers failed to predict the reaction, warning that driving women away from the Ladies event would defeat its entire purpose.

Shortly after the criticism spread, the detailed prize list disappeared from the JOPT website. The official press release about the sponsorship now refers only to “Sagami Product Gift Sets.” As of October 6, no public apology or detailed statement from JOPT had been reported.

The sponsor’s side of the story

Sagami is not a random adult brand. Its story is closely tied to women’s health. The company says its founder, Saku Matsukawa, produced Japan’s first thin latex condom in 1934 after seeing how unwanted pregnancies were pushing families into poverty and leaving many children orphaned. Today its 0.01 mm Sagami Original is among the thinnest condoms sold, compared with a typical 0.04–0.07 mm.

In its release, Sagami said it wanted to bring its founding motto, roughly “Fun First, Respect Always,” to the tournament. Supporters of the deal argue that normalising sexual-health products is a positive message. Critics respond that the message is not the problem; the setting and the way it singled out women are.

Sponsored events are normal at JOPT

Quirky sponsor prizes are part of the JOPT identity. The 2025 Tokyo festival had a record 60 sponsors, and the 2026 schedule again features branded events. Cigar and jewellery brands have tournaments, Japan Tobacco runs a three-event “North Star” series, and a Burger King–sponsored event gives its winner six months of free Whopper coupons plus custom playing cards.

The difference, players say, is context. A burger voucher in an open event is a fun extra. A large stack of condoms reserved for the top women in a women-only event sends a message the tour probably did not intend.

Women’s poker is growing fast, which raises the stakes

The timing is awkward because women’s participation in poker is at record levels in 2026, and Japanese women are among the biggest success stories.

Japan’s poker boom has been fuelled by players such as Ryutaro Suzuki, Koji Fujimoto and Naoya Kihara on the world stage, and by Okamoto’s Ladies Championship double. Women’s events are often where new players take their first serious step, which is exactly why critics say their presentation matters. Even with record numbers, women still make up under 5% of the WSOP Main Event field.

What happens next

The Ladies Championship is still scheduled for October 12. The key questions now are whether JOPT will formally change the prizes, whether it will address the criticism publicly, and whether the controversy affects turnout. The final field size will be the clearest signal of how women players in Japan responded.

For tours everywhere, the episode is a reminder that sponsor deals for women’s events need more thought than simply matching a brand to an audience.

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Bala Kumar

Founder of PokerClubGames.com and a Poker Researcher with 10+ years of experience in SEO, WordPress development, and gaming content strategy. Specializes in researching online poker sites, poker apps, tournaments, bonuses, and poker strategies. Experienced in poker platform reviews, affiliate marketing, and creating SEO-focused poker content for global audiences.

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