After junking Balatro's 18 rating, PEGI will develop "a more granular" rating system for gambling themes

AI Analysis

The Pan European Games Information board (PEGI) has reclassified two games, Balatro and Luck Be A Landlord, from an 18 rating to suitable for players aged 12 years and over. The change follows successful appeals by game publishers against the original rating. PEGI has also announced plans to create more detailed classification criteria to differentiate between satirical representations of gambling in games and genuine references. This shift aims to provide clearer guidance for parents and players navigating complex content.

Key Points

  • The reclassification of Balatro and Luck Be A Landlord by PEGI raises questions about the effectiveness of age ratings in regulating content.r
  • The change in rating from 18 to suitable for 12-year-olds highlights the complexities of evaluating games that reference gambling.r
  • PEGI's decision to develop more granular classification criteria may help distinguish between satirical and genuine gambling references in games.

Original Article

Sorcerous cardgame Balatro and slot machine RPG Luck Be A Landlord have been reclassified as fit for people aged 12 years and over by the Pan European Games Information board, after they were initially slapped with an 18 rating for "glamorising... the simulation of gambling".

PEGI have made the change following a successful appeal against the 18 rating by Balatro's European publisher Sold Out and Luck Be A Landlord's Switch publisher Fangamer. They're also going to develop "a more granular set of classification criteria" for games that reference gambling, to distinguish jingling parodies of rentier capitalism from the one arm bandits found in actual casinos.

Read more

Share This Article

Hashtags for Sharing

Comments