Balatro wins appeal: PEGI revises age rating from 18 to 12

Balatro Wins Appeal to Lower Age Rating to PEGI 12

Balatro, a superhit Indie game, has won their appeal of changing the age rating of the game to PEGI (Pan European Game Information) 12 from 18. This new upgrade shall completely change the lens through which poker games are viewed. This will be achieved by upgrading the hands in order to utilize the joker cards. It is quite simple, yet the game has successfully become popular among the fans. Balatro will re-classify themselves and make it suitable for players who are 12 and above.

PEGI Justifies the Revised Rating

Previously mislabelled as 18 and above, PEGI stated, “the roguelike deck-building game contained mitigating fantastical elements that warranted a PEGI 12 rating.” The game has currently opened up for a wider audience. Even with the age rating being constricted to 18 years, the game was a hit. Now that the age barrier has been removed, the game has become more accessible and can be utilised to its utmost potential. 

Developers criticize PEGI's inconsistent gambling ratings

The developers of Balatro had also criticized the PEGI ratings arguing that it is hypocritical on their part to go easy on EA Sports FC, which actually contain gambling elements in their game. They said it was unfair as other games were not given any harsh rankings, while Balatro was said to be teaching techniques that “could be transferred to a real-life game of poker.” This was the justification given by the board for assigning Balatro a 18 PEGI rank.

PEGI Responds and Plans for Future Classification Changes

The PEGI board posted on their website stating,"The PEGI 18 rating for the game Balatro has been changed to a PEGI 12 following a successful appeal submitted by publisher Sold Out Sales & Marketing. Although the game explains the various hands of poker, the roguelike deck-building game contained mitigating fantastical elements that warranted a PEGI 12 rating."

"At this moment, any teaching or glamorisation of simulated gambling automatically leads to a PEGI 18 rating. On the basis of these appeals, the PEGI Experts Group will develop a more granular set of classification criteria to handle gambling themes and the simulation, teaching and glamorisation of gambling in different age categories, which will now include 12 but also keep 18 as an age category for games that simulate gambling typically played in casinos and betting halls," they further added.