Games incorporating loot box mechanics will soon carry a minimum age rating of 16 across Europe, including the United Kingdom. This change is part of a series of updates implemented by the European video game ratings organization, PEGI (Pan-European Game Information).
PEGI’s age ratings appear on games sold throughout Europe, guiding consumers on their suitability for different age groups. Loot boxes, a feature that allows players to purchase random virtual items, have faced increasing scrutiny. Recent research indicates that these systems often blur the boundaries between gaming and gambling.
These revised ratings, effective from June, mean games with loot box systems, such as EA Sports FC, may receive a significantly higher age classification. The PEGI system, utilized in 38 countries, aims to assist consumers, particularly parents, in making informed purchasing decisions about video games. Its existing ratings—3, 7, 12, 16, and 18—are designed to denote suitability for specific age brackets, not game difficulty.
Under the updated system, games featuring “paid random items” will be assigned a PEGI 16 rating by default. In certain circumstances, this classification could be elevated to PEGI 18.
Dirk Bosmans, director of PEGI, expressed confidence that these amendments would offer parents and players more valuable and transparent guidance. Emily Tofield, CEO of the Young Gamers & Gamblers Education Trust (Ygam), described the changes as a “step in the right direction.” However, she advocated for the retrospective application of a PEGI 18 rating to existing game titles.
Currently, the new ratings will only apply to games released after June. Tofield commented, “Without applying the rules to current games, the policy will do little to protect the children who are already playing them.”
Concerns Over Gambling-Like Mechanics
Despite ongoing concerns about loot boxes, the United Kingdom currently lacks specific legislation regulating their presence in video games. In 2022, the UK government decided against amending the Gambling Act 2005 to include loot boxes, citing a lack of evidence demonstrating a “causative link” to harm.
However, guidance published by the trade body Ukie in 2023 mandates that game companies must prevent players under 18 from purchasing loot boxes without parental consent. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) prohibits and removes advertisements that fail to clearly disclose whether a game contains loot boxes.
Dr. Ruijie Wang, who led a January 2025 study from Bournemouth University on gambling risks for young people, stated that loot boxes are “one of the most studied examples of gambling-like mechanics in games.” She added, “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.”
Additional Rating Changes
PEGI’s new classifications also introduce a PEGI 12 rating for games with time-limited systems, such as paid battle passes. Games incorporating non-fungible tokens (NFTs) will now be rated PEGI 18.
Fortnite, which features various paid passes, already holds a PEGI 12 rating. Games employing “play-by-appointment” mechanics, like daily quests, will receive a PEGI 7 rating. This rating will be elevated to PEGI 12 if the mechanics penalize players for not returning, for example, by causing content loss.
Furthermore, games that do not provide users with options to report or block other players online will be assigned a PEGI 18 rating.
Freelance video games journalist Vic Hood suggested that while the new ratings are “positive,” their effectiveness hinges on parental engagement. “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,” she remarked.