PEGI digs its heels in over Balatro's 18+ rating, according to its disappointed dev: 'blaming EU laws, blaming storefronts, waiting for the future'

pcgamer.com:

Balatro has been hit with an 18+ rating by PEGI, a European age rating system that's used in more than 35 countries, over its allusions to real-world gambling. The game's developer, LocalThunk, spoke out about the decision earlier this week—and has since contacted PEGI over the choice to lay down the law on a funny game with poker cards in it (but no microtransactions or actual gambling elements), while others with actual, chance-based microtransactions continue with 3+ age ratings unabated.

Unfortunately, the organisation is still adamant that its choices are in accordance with its guidelines, as LocalThunk writes on Bluesky: "[I] talked with PEGI and they do not see anything wrong Balatro being rated 18+, nor with EA sports FC (and similar games) having a 3+ rating." He goes on to say that the ratings board was «blaming EU laws, blaming storefronts, waiting for the future. Sitting on their hands. I thought some good might come of this, this sucks.»

For context: PEGI's attitude towards gambling, which you can see laid out on its website, is based on whether a game has allusions to (or could conceivably teach people how to play) games that are used to gamble in the real world: «These simulations of gambling refer to games of chance that are normally carried out in casinos or gambling halls.»

In other words, PEGI's decision here is technically consistent with its stated guidelines, even if those guidelines are, on the face of it, quite silly. Balatro teaches you how to form certain poker hands, and poker is a game of chance that's «normally carried out in casinos or gambling halls». Meanwhile, EA Sports FC 25, a game that lets you buy card backs with real money, does not teach you how to play a game of chance that you could find out in the real world.

As for why some older games with gambling seem exempt, such as 51 Worldwide Games, which is rated 12+ by the organisation? They squeezed themselves in under the wire before the law was changed: «Some older titles can