PEGI digs its heels in over Balatro's 18 rating, according to disappointed dev

pcgamer.com

6 points·dr_kiszonka··5 comments

> The game contains elements that encourage or teach gambling. These simulations of gambling refer to games of chance that are normally carried out in casinos or gambling halls

Okay, by this standard then games like Bejeweled and Candy Crush should also be rated 18+. If you actually walk into a casino, you will find a sea of machines knocking off mobile games before you ever bump into a poker table (if they even offer one!)

Balatro doesn't even teach you to play poker, it's heavily poker themed but mechanically the only overlap is in the hands you're allowed to play.

You have to keep in mind what PEGI is, who it works for, and who they in turn represent. Of course they're unconcerned about hassling a lone dev, but walk on tiptoes around the work produced by their backers. They're less of a regulatory agency, and more of a fig leaf covering the genitals of the "interacting software" industry in Europe.

You could say the same thing about the ESRB in North America, but they at least sensible enough to separate "Gambling themes" from "Simulated gambling".

https://www.esrb.org/ratings/39921/balatro/

True, and they have their own strange hangups, usually around sex, while letting fairly intense violence pass with less comment. At least they used to, I admit I'm a bit out of that loop these days.

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