Balatro reclassified as PEGI 12 by ratings board after appeal by publisher

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  • Balatro has been reclassified as PEGI 12 after a new decision was taken by the ratings board
  • It places it on more even footing after the more mature rating
  • PEGI 18 would have classified it as something akin to grand Theft Auto in terms of content

Regular readers might remember an unusual tale from last year: Balatro, a roguelike card game, was assigned a PEGI 18 rating by review boards. This classification placed it on par with mature content such as Grand Theft Auto; a decision that left many, including the developers, puzzled.

It appears that PEGI has corrected their initial classification and categorized Balatro as a PEGI 12 game. As reported by the developers at Localthunk on Twitter, this decision may have been influenced by a request from the game’s publisher to the board.

Balatro has previously encountered issues with external groups, as it was temporarily removed from the Nintendo Eshop due to concerns about its gambling-like content. However, players cannot actually win real money or place bets in this game. The only use of money is symbolic, serving as a means for players to buy additional cards within each playthrough.


The house always wins

In my opinion, one primary factor that led to Balatro being labeled so harshly was its portrayal of gambling-like visuals. To put it simply, yes, the reason it’s seen as severe as vehicular manslaughter in GTA is because it could potentially educate someone about poker hands like a straight flush or a flush.

It’s equally annoying that Balatro’s classification persists even on mobile platforms, where transactions within apps are commonplace. One might argue it’s better to correct this issue now rather than later, but ideally, it shouldn’t have been a problem from the start.

However, if Balatro has managed to convince you (in any way), why not explore our ranking of Jokers to discover which powerful cards are worth investing in and which ones might not be as beneficial?

If Balatro has somehow swayed your decision (in some manner), then perhaps it would be wise to examine our list of Jokers to see which strong cards you should consider and which ones may not offer the same value.

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2025-02-25 15:48