It's entirely his fault for not being a multi-billion dollar company which actively invests in better ratings. In capitalism, there is no fairness - there is only money.

One looks like gambling but is actually a fun roguelite card game, the other one looks like fun but is actually a gambling game. Guess which one is rated 18+?

If you search for "poker" on PEGI's site, it seems that many games which are actually about simulated gambling are rated 12 or 16. They seem to think Balatro is more likely to expose children to realistic gambling than, say, Prominence Poker or Pure Hold'em World Poker Championship, which seems completely bizarre, given that those games are about playing poker and Balatro is a fancy kind of solitaire with no betting.

The reasoning in question:

This game teaches - by way of images, information and gameplay - skills and knowledge that are used in poker. During gameplay, the player is rewarded with ‘chips’ for playing certain hands. The player is able to access a list of poker hand names. As the player hovers over these poker hands, the game explains what types of cards the player would need in order to play certain hands. As the game goes on, the player becomes increasingly familiar with which hands would earn more points. Because these are hands that exist in the real world, this knowledge and skill could be transferred to a real-life game of poker

So, this game teaches skills and knowledge that are used in poker. The skills in knowledge are limited to... playing and making poker hands. That's it. Also, "as the game goes on, the player becomes increasingly familiar with which hands would earn more points" -- is hilariously funny. The idea that knowledge of what a poker hand is is anything related to the dangers of gambling is ridiculous.

This is actually quite eye opening to me, as someone who doesn't really ever have to look at ratings as a consumer and has always just taken them for granted. Now I'm keenly aware it's yet another example of runaway capitalism. Just never thought too hard about it.

PEGI's a cunt.

Actual gambling - 3+

Suggestion of gambling - 18+

Sounds like grounds for a defamation suit to me considering his stated opinions on gambling.

Is the rating purely because it uses playing cards? Poker hands?

Yahtzee and literal poker with betting are included in Nintendo clubhouse/worldwide 51 and it's rated Pegi-12.

Would balatro get a pass if it used cards numbered 1-13 instead of traditional cards?

This whole thing is bonkers.

Tell me you are corrupted to the core, without telling me you are corrupted to the core.

i think it's clear from this these regulatory bodies primarily function to help the industry make money. indies can sometimes get co-signs from these bodies, but only if they stay in their lane. balatro has been a huge smash hit, and it feels like this body just wants to keep it down that little bit

I’m willing to bet PEGI was lobbied to push for that 18+ rating by ea and other publishers because balatro is taking revenue from them. They don’t get how a game without microtransactions is doing better than they are

Self-regulated organization my ass.

Doesn't matter in the slightest.

me, age 12, San Andreas

Learning the names and ranking of poker hands is the devil!

Baltaro devs may need to invest in gambling to earn enough money to bribe PEGI the way EA almost certainly does.

You didn't ask the question the ea way.

You're supposed to ask with a hefty bribe.

Seems like an advertising opportunity. First solitaire game rated 18+ without any gambling, I assume no nudity, language, etc.

Guess I just have to buy Balatro harder then

Did he try getting a friendly industry insider appointed to the regulatory body to "facilitate" ?