Games With Loot Boxes To Get Minimum 16 Age Rating Across Europe

13 March 2026
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Laura CressTechnology reporter


Games which include loot boxes will soon be given an age rating of 16 across Europe, consisting of in the UK, under a host of changes by the European computer game rankings organisation.


The Pan-European Game Information body (PEGI)'s age rankings are shown on games offered in the UK and other nations in Europe to show their viability for kids of different ages.


Loot boxes are an in-game function enabling players to buy random mystery items with real or virtual currency, but recent research has actually discovered they blur the line between gaming and gaming.


The brand-new scores, taking effect from June, could see games consisting of loot box systems, such as EA Sports FC, get a much greater age ranking.


The PEGI system is used in 38 nations to assist customers and especially parents make informed choices about the games they purchase.


Its ratings of 3, 7, 12, 16, 18 are utilized to show a game's viability for certain age groups, rather than trouble.


The organisation's modifications to this system will see video games containing "paid random products" branded PEGI 16 by default. It says in many cases this might increase to PEGI 18.


Dirk Bosmans, director of PEGI, stated it was "confident" the updates would supply "more useful and transparent suggestions" for parents and gamers.


Emily Tofield, chief executive of Young Gamers & Gamblers Education Trust (Ygam), stated they were a "step in the best direction".


But she added a PEGI 18 rating must be used retrospectively to existing titles.


Currently the brand-new rankings will only apply to video games released after June.


"Without applying the rules to existing games the policy will do little to secure the children who are currently playing them," Tofield said.


mechanics'


Despite issues about loot boxes, no UK legislation controls how and where they appear in video games.


The UK government decided in 2022 not to change the Gambling Act 2005 to consist of loot boxes, stating no proof revealed a "causative link" to harms.


But guidance released by trade body Ukie in 2023 stated video game companies should restrict players under 18 from acquiring loot boxes without parental authorization.


The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) says it bans and gets rid of ads which stop working to make the clear whether a game consists of a loot box.


Dr Ruijie Wang, who led a January 2025 study from Bournemouth University into the harmful dangers of betting on youths, informed the BBC loot boxes were "one of the most studied examples of gambling-like mechanics in video games".


"Recognising loot boxes as a threat consider age ratings is an essential step towards showing the truths of contemporary game design, helping to offer moms and dads with clearer signals about possible harms," she stated.


PEGI's new additions will likewise see games with time-limited systems, like a paid fight pass, now get a PEGI 12 rating and game with non-fungible tokens (NFTs) be ranked PEGI 18.


Fortnite, which utilizes a series of various paid-for passes, is currently ranked PEGI 12.


Games with "play-by-appointment" design mechanisms such as everyday missions will get a PEGI 7 score - however if the systems "penalize gamers for not returning", such by losing material, they will become PEGI 12.


Games lacking any method for users to report or block players online will get a PEGI 18 ranking.


Freelance video games journalist Vic Hood said while the brand-new rankings were "positive", it was difficult to see what difference they would make unless parents also took them seriously.


"In reality, it will largely be down to moms and dads to educate themselves on why these changes have been brought in and choose for themselves if they deem the games (and their loot box mechanics) suitable for their kid," she stated.