New PEGI Rules Rate Games With Loot Boxes 16+

The European video game rating system will upgrade ratings for games with paid random items starting in June 2026.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 7:33pm

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The Pan European Game Information (PEGI) rating system announced it will upgrade the ratings for video games that contain loot boxes. Under the new rules, set to come into force in June 2026, games that feature paid random items will be rated PEGI 16, and in some cases, PEGI 18. The changes could impact many popular games among under-16-year-olds, such as EA FC.

Why it matters

The new PEGI rules aim to bolster online safety and address parental concerns about the appropriateness of loot boxes for children. An Austrian court recently ruled that loot boxes in EA's games were not gambling, but PEGI argues they are still not suitable for children.

The details

The new PEGI criteria include: games with time-limited or quantity-limited offers will be PEGI 12, games with NFTs or blockchain mechanisms will be PEGI 18, the default rating for games with paid random items will be PEGI 16 (and in some cases PEGI 18), and games with unrestricted communication features will be PEGI 18. The changes were developed in collaboration with the German age rating authority USK.

  • The new PEGI rules will come into force in June 2026.

The players

Pan European Game Information (PEGI)

The European video game rating system that announced the new rules for games with loot boxes.

Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (USK)

The German age rating authority that collaborated with PEGI on the new criteria.

Valve

The company that argued its in-game loot boxes are no different from physical products like baseball cards.

New York Attorney General

Filed a lawsuit against Valve over its loot boxes, which could prompt the ESRB to upgrade its rating system.

EA FC

A popular game among under-16-year-olds that is likely to be rated PEGI 16 under the new rules unless the developers remove certain features.

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What’s next

The new PEGI rules are set to come into force in June 2026, which could prompt the ESRB in North America to make similar changes to its rating system for games with loot boxes.

The takeaway

The PEGI's new rules on loot boxes reflect growing concerns about the appropriateness of these monetization mechanics for younger players, and could lead to significant changes in how many popular games are rated and marketed to different age groups across Europe.