Games With Loot Boxes To Get Minimum 16 Age Rating Across Europe
13 March 2026
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Laura CressTechnology press reporter
Games which feature loot boxes will soon be provided an age ranking of 16 across Europe, consisting of in the UK, under a host of changes by the European video game ratings organisation.
The Pan-European Game Information body (PEGI)'s age ratings are displayed on video games offered in the UK and other countries in Europe to suggest their viability for children of different ages.
Loot boxes are an in-game function allowing players to buy random mystery products with genuine or virtual currency, however recent research study has found they blur the line between video gaming and betting.
The new scores, taking effect from June, could see games including loot box systems, such as EA Sports FC, get a much higher age ranking.
The PEGI system is utilized in 38 countries to assist customers and especially parents make notified decisions about the video games they acquire.
Its rankings of 3, 7, 12, 16, 18 are utilized to indicate a video game's suitability for specific age, rather than difficulty.
The organisation's modifications to this system will see video games consisting of "paid random items" branded PEGI 16 by default. It states in many cases this might increase to PEGI 18.
Dirk Bosmans, director of PEGI, stated it was "confident" the updates would offer "more helpful and transparent suggestions" for parents and gamers.
Emily Tofield, primary executive of Young Gamers & Gamblers Education Trust (Ygam), stated they were a "action in the best direction".
But she added a PEGI 18 score ought to be applied retrospectively to existing titles.
Currently the brand-new scores will only use to video games released after June.
"Without using the guidelines to present games the policy will do little to protect the kids who are currently playing them," Tofield stated.
'Gambling-like mechanics'
Despite concerns about loot boxes, no UK legislation manages how and where they appear in video games.
The UK federal government chose in 2022 not to modify the Gambling Act 2005 to consist of loot boxes, stating no proof showed a "causative link" to harms.
But assistance released by trade body Ukie in 2023 said game companies must limit gamers under 18 from purchasing loot boxes without adult approval.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) says it bans and removes ads which fail to make the clear whether a game consists of a loot box.
Dr Ruijie Wang, who led a January 2025 research study from Bournemouth University into the damaging threats of betting on youths, told the BBC loot boxes were "one of the most studied examples of gambling-like mechanics in games".
"Recognising loot boxes as a danger factor in age rankings is an important action towards showing the realities of modern-day game design, helping to supply moms and dads with clearer signals about prospective damages," she said.
PEGI's new additions will likewise see video games with time-limited systems, like a pass, now get a PEGI 12 score and game with non-fungible tokens (NFTs) be rated PEGI 18.
Fortnite, which utilizes a series of different paid-for passes, is already rated PEGI 12.
Games with "play-by-appointment" style systems such as everyday missions will get a PEGI 7 rating - but if the systems "punish gamers for not returning", such by losing content, they will become PEGI 12.
Games lacking any way for users to report or block players online will get a PEGI 18 ranking.
Freelance computer game reporter Vic Hood said while the brand-new scores were "favorable", it was tough to see what difference they would make unless moms and dads likewise took them seriously.
"In reality, it will largely be down to parents to inform themselves on why these changes have been generated and choose for themselves if they deem the video games (and their loot box mechanics) suitable for their kid," she stated.