PEGI to give 16 age rating to UK games with loot boxes

Games that incorporate loot boxes will soon be assigned a minimum age rating of 16 across Europe, including the United Kingdom, following significant updates to the rating criteria by the Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) organisation. This impactful decision by PEGI, the body responsible for displaying age suitability labels on video games sold throughout Europe, signals a growing recognition of the potential harms associated with these in-game purchasing mechanisms. Loot boxes, which allow players to acquire random virtual items through real-money or in-game currency purchases, have long been a subject of debate, with recent research increasingly highlighting their parallels to gambling. The new PEGI ratings, set to take effect from June, mean that popular titles featuring extensive loot box systems, such as EA Sports FC, could see their age classifications substantially increased, potentially impacting millions of young players.

The PEGI system, a widely adopted standard across 38 European countries, plays a crucial role in empowering consumers, particularly parents, to make informed choices about the video games they purchase for their children. The existing age ratings – PEGI 3, 7, 12, 16, and 18 – are designed to denote a game’s thematic and content suitability for different age groups, rather than its perceived difficulty. In a notable shift, PEGI’s revised criteria will mandate that games containing "paid random items" be classified as PEGI 16 by default. In certain instances, where the risk is deemed higher, this rating could even be elevated to PEGI 18.

Dirk Bosmans, director of PEGI, expressed confidence that these updates will provide parents and players with "more useful and transparent advice," a sentiment echoed by Emily Tofield, chief executive of the Young Gamers & Gamblers Education Trust (Ygam). Tofield described the changes as a "step in the right direction" but also advocated for a PEGI 18 rating to be applied retrospectively to existing titles that contain loot boxes. Currently, the new ratings will only be implemented for games released after June. "Without applying the rules to current games the policy will do little to protect the children who are already playing them," Tofield cautioned, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the impact on children already exposed to these mechanics.

The introduction of these stricter age ratings comes at a time when the regulatory landscape surrounding loot boxes in the UK remains complex, with no specific legislation directly governing their implementation in video games. While the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has taken steps to ban and remove advertisements that fail to clearly disclose the presence of loot boxes, a comprehensive framework is still lacking. Dr. Ruijie Wang, who spearheaded a significant study on the harmful risks of gambling among young people at Bournemouth University in January 2025, underscored the importance of PEGI’s decision. She stated that loot boxes are "one of the most studied examples of gambling-like mechanics in games" and that "recognising loot boxes as a risk factor in age ratings is an important step towards reflecting the realities of modern game design, helping to provide parents with clearer signals about potential harms."

Beyond loot boxes, PEGI’s updated system also introduces new classifications for other in-game monetization and interactive features. Games featuring time-limited systems, such as paid battle passes, will now receive a PEGI 12 rating. A more significant concern arises with games incorporating non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which will be rated PEGI 18, reflecting anxieties surrounding the speculative and potentially exploitative nature of these digital assets. For context, popular games like Fortnite, which already utilizes various paid-for passes, currently hold a PEGI 12 rating.

The classification for games with "play-by-appointment" style mechanics, such as daily quests, will be PEGI 7. However, if these mechanisms are designed to "punish players for not returning," for example, by leading to the loss of in-game content, the rating will be elevated to PEGI 12. Furthermore, a critical addition to the PEGI criteria addresses online safety, with games that lack any functionality for users to report or block other players online being assigned a PEGI 18 rating. This addresses growing concerns about online harassment and the safety of young players in digital environments.

Despite the positive reception of these new ratings, freelance video games journalist Vic Hood offered a pragmatic perspective, suggesting that their ultimate effectiveness will hinge on parental engagement. "While the new ratings are positive, it’s hard to see what difference they would make unless parents also took them seriously," Hood commented. "In reality, it will largely be down to parents to educate themselves on why these changes have been brought in and decide for themselves if they deem the games (and their loot box mechanics) suitable for their child." This highlights the ongoing need for comprehensive public awareness campaigns and educational resources to ensure that PEGI’s updated classifications serve their intended purpose of protecting younger audiences. The evolution of PEGI’s rating system represents a significant acknowledgment of the increasingly sophisticated and sometimes ethically complex monetization strategies employed in modern video games, aiming to provide a clearer, albeit still evolving, guide for consumers navigating this dynamic landscape. The inclusion of specific risk categories for loot boxes, NFTs, and online interaction features demonstrates a proactive approach to the evolving challenges of digital entertainment and its impact on vulnerable populations.