PEGI lowers age ratings for Balatro and Luck Be A Landlord after gambling dispute

European age ratings for the strategic deck-builders Balatro and Luck Be A Landlord have been lowered to PEGI 12 following a successful appeal process. The decision marks a significant reversal for the ratings board, which had initially restricted the titles based on their casino-themed aesthetics.

Both games were originally assigned PEGI 18 ratings due to their strong associations with gambling. Despite these high ratings, neither title contains microtransactions or real-money transactions. The games utilize gambling mechanics—such as poker hands and slot-machine logic—as core elements of their strategy and roguelike gameplay rather than as a means of financial wagering. After the developers appealed the decisions, PEGI overturned the adult-only ratings in early 2025. In a statement, PEGI confirmed it would accept the decision of its Complaints Board, noting that the organization "continuously evolves in line with cultural expectations, and the guidance of independent experts."

The aesthetics of risk

This controversy highlights a growing tension in the regulation of interactive media. Roguelike deck-builders often employ casino-themed visuals to create challenging mathematical puzzles, yet these aesthetic choices frequently trigger automatic flags from ratings boards. The current system often penalizes games that look like gambling, even when there is zero financial risk involved for the player.

A regulatory double standard

Industry analysts argue that this case exposes a fundamental flaw in how gambling is defined by regulators. By focusing on visual tropes like poker cards and slot reels, boards may be overlooking more predatory psychological loops. For example, loot boxes in many AAA titles use gambling-style reward schedules to drive real-money spending, yet they often evade strict gambling classifications because they avoid traditional casino imagery.

This discrepancy suggests a regulatory environment where games with no economic risk are restricted based on their skin, while monetization models that carry actual financial risk for minors remain widely accessible. The Balatro and Luck Be A Landlord cases suggest that the industry is moving toward a definition of gambling based on economic exploitation rather than mere thematic inspiration.

Future implications

As more indie developers experiment with gambling-themed mechanics for non-gambling purposes, the industry will be watching to see if PEGI and other boards permanently shift their criteria. While the ratings for these two titles have been resolved, the broader question of how to distinguish between a gambling simulation and a gambling-themed strategy game remains a point of contention for regulators worldwide.