Balatro Wins Appeal: PEGI Rating Drops to 12+

Hey, so you’ve probably heard about the whole drama with Balatro and its PEGI rating, right? Big news—Balatro’s PEGI rating just dropped from 18+ to 12+ after a successful appeal. Yeah, the indie gem that snagged Best Independent Game at the Game Awards and was crowned Polygon’s 2024 Game of the Year doesn’t have to deal with that ridiculous 18+ label anymore. Let’s unpack what happened, why it matters, and what it means for the future—all in a way that doesn’t sound like a corporate press release, promise.

First off, massive props to Balatro’s team. They fought PEGI’s initial decision, and it paid off. PEGI’s Complaints Board finally saw the light and admitted that, yeah, while the game does explain poker hands, it’s not some gambling simulator. It’s a roguelike deck-builder with all these wild, fantastical elements. Think crazy card combos, not Vegas vibes. So, they bumped it down to a 12+ rating, which is way more reasonable.

Okay, so if you missed the memo, here’s the backstory. Balatro launched in February 2024, and at first, it had a chill 3+ rating. All good, right? Nope. PEGI suddenly flipped the script overnight and slapped it with an 18+ rating, citing “prominent gambling imagery.” Like, what? This change was such a mess that Balatro got temporarily yanked from sale in some countries. Total chaos.

Now, here’s where it gets spicy. The developer, LocalThunk, didn’t hold back. They called it “comedy” on social media and pointed out the hypocrisy. I mean, EA Sports FC games—y’know, the ones with loot boxes, aka actual gambling mechanics—still get a 3+ rating. Meanwhile, Balatro, a game with no real-world gambling, gets hit with 18+? Make it make sense.

The publisher, Playstack, promised to fight it, and clearly, they delivered. But yeah, that initial decision? Absolute nonsense.

So, why’d PEGI backtrack? Well, they realized Balatro isn’t trying to teach you how to hit up a casino. It’s all about roguelike mechanics—building decks, taking risks, and having fun in this fantastical world. The poker theme’s there, sure, but it’s not glamorizing gambling. It’s more like a creative twist on card games. PEGI finally acknowledged that and adjusted the rating to 12+, which feels fair.

Here’s the thing—this isn’t just about Balatro. Another indie game, Luck Be a Landlord, had a similar issue. It’s got a slot machine theme, but again, it’s not real gambling. Its publisher, Fangamer, appealed, and PEGI downgraded that rating too. So, it looks like PEGI’s starting to get that not every game with gambling-like mechanics deserves an 18+ label.

Now, here’s the bigger picture. PEGI’s promising to shake things up moving forward. They’re working on “more granular” classification criteria for gambling themes. Translation? They’re gonna stop treating games like Balatro and Luck Be a Landlord the same as, say, apps that simulate real gambling. They’ll look at stuff like:

Before, it was basically “gambling vibes? 18+ or bust.” Now, they’re aiming for nuance. And honestly? About time.

LocalThunk’s pretty stoked about it too. They hopped on Bluesky and said, “This is a good step from PEGI, bringing nuance to their ratings criteria that used to be 18+ or nothing.” They’re hoping this means indie devs can keep creating without getting unfairly punished for using certain themes. And yeah, I’m with them—this is a win for creativity.

Look, if you’re into indie games like Balatro, this is huge. It means rating boards like PEGI are finally listening to feedback and adjusting their policies. No more knee-jerk overreactions that hurt devs and players alike. Hopefully, we won’t see similar controversies down the road, and devs can focus on making cool games without worrying about random 18+ labels.

So, yeah, cheers to Balatro and its team for fighting the good fight. And hey, if you haven’t checked out the game yet, now’s the perfect time—it’s officially not “adults only” anymore, and it’s as awesome as ever.