Balatro, the wildly successful indie game that portrays a mystical and decidedly fictionalized deck of cards dependent on the magical powers of various Joker cards, has finally had its age rating re-evaluated in Europe by the Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) board months after it was classified as a game for adults. The PEGI board announced today that they are revising the game’s rating from PEGI 18 — which effectively means inappropriate for children under 18 — to PEGI 12, due to complaints.
These complaints came from the game’s Special Edition publisher, Fireshine Games, which implored the PEGI board to actually re-examine the content of Balatro. The title’s PEGI 18 rating was given after the board attached a descriptor of “Gambling,” which does not accurately portray the mechanics within. After a reevaluation, PEGI agreed with these complaints in a statement made today.
“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 [the name by which Fireshine Games does business in Europe],” the PEGI board wrote. “The Complaints Board concluded that, although the game explains the various hands of poker, the roguelike deck-building game contained mitigating fantastical elements that warranted a PEGI 12 rating.”
Essentially, the PEGI board automatically rates any game with gambling mechanics — real or perceived — as only for adults as a result of a rule instituted in 2020. This can be a problem as not all stores treat those ratings or those mechanics the same. It is rumored that one reason the Pokemon series has never reintroduced the Game Center, or brought games with the Game Center to the Switch, is that Nintendo does not want to risk a Pokemon title with a PEGI 18 rating.
As such, the PEGI board indicates they plan to revisit this rule.
“At this moment, any teaching or glamorisation [sic] 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.”
Balatro’s new rating also has a trickle-down effect for the game Luck Be a Landlord, which was saddled with a PEGI 18 rating as well. Its fictional gambling mechanics put it out of the reach of the majority of the audience, but has been rectified today with PEGI’s new ruling.
Balatro also arrives today on Xbox with new crossover decks, including Fallout, Assassin’s Creed, Critical Role, and more.
