PEGI stupidly claims Balatro has gambling while EA Sports FC/FIFA loot boxes aren't gambling...

[@YongYea]

🔒 Remove your personal information from the web at JoinDeleteMe.com/YONG20 and use code YONG20 for 20% off 🙌 DeleteMe international Plans: international.joindeleteme.com - Labeling Balatro as an 18+ game for gambling but loot box infested EA Sports games as 3+ is an absolute farce. PATREON: www.patreon.com/yongyea BLUESKY: bsky.app/profile/yongyea.bsky.social INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/yong_yea TIKTOK: www.tiktok.com/@yongyea TOP PATRONS [BIG BOSS] - Devon B [BOSS] - Gerardo Andrade - Michael Redmond - Phil [PRETTY LEGENDARY] - azalea

[@ZurigaSungama]

Thanks for the infuriating update, Kiryu-chan!

[@Rabbitlord108]

Pegi also led to the Pokémon games getting rid of the Game Corners.

[@404Errored]

At this point I have zero expectations for ratings boards.

[@tomatomaki]

Thank you Chong Yue for the awesome news.

[@thomaskrogh1244]

It doesn't fit their own definition. You can't place a bet or wager, so go fish would be gambling. He'll some Mario party games have events that they can put wagers on other players isn't that simulated gambling since it "teach you how to put up a wager" whatch out people they going after your old maid next.

[@KabegamiTheGreat]

Slot machine in pokemon? Disgusting. Slot machine in fifa allowing you to use real money??? Nothing to see here.

[@RupeeClock]

So for the Virtual Console releases of Red/Blue/Yellow/Gold/Silver/Crystal on Nintendo 3DS, PEGI didn't slap these with an 18 because they made this change after their release. It feels like favouritism to let Pokémon games get away with it.

[@mariokarter13]

Pokémon TCG booster packs being functionally identical to loot boxes? Pretend it's different somehow.

[@Mario209Productions]

Super Mario 64 DS: **sweats nervously**

[@CiromBreeze]

​@@RupeeClockI mean, Pokémon hasn't been getting away with half of it. They had to remove the slot machine minigame in Pokémon Platinum (D/P has it, Platinum has Voltorb Flip instead) and any future games have had the slot machines stripped out, even BDSP. I guess where PEGI is concerned, it just has to *look* like a slot machine, even if it's using fake currency with no useful rewards. (Also I recognise that username! Were you on Flipnote Studio back in the day?)

[@nullpoint3346]

@@mariokarter13 Is that a comment on rating boards or players? I think it's the former, but I've seen more of the latter than I care to admit.

[@DeadHandtheSurvivor]

As somebody on Twitter suggested, the dev should release an European only update where the poker cards are replaced with 52 legally distinctive football players.

[@Lastingbeats]

oh my god that's a great idea, just pngs of the players

[@xxBunnyxx2]

Well germany still uses USK, so please make it an PEGI only update. Thank you 😅

[@nurgle7797]

Friends of Jimbo, European Edition

[@MoonBunnyLovers]

What number would Lonardo be?

[@mostlyghostey]

No but actually, if they did replace the face cards it might lower the rating in general. So that isn't a bad idea... Just maybe not football players lol.

[@spence6195]

They aren't stupid, their pockets are filled with EA's money

[@briochepanda]

Stupid? No. Crooked and perfidious? Absolutely.

[@laurencefraser]

isn't it less 'paid off by EA' and more 'members consist entirely of representatives of large EU/US publishers'?

[@Elysiabikha]

Especially take two money

[@cordero6960]

being an asshole means being stupid.

[@maverickrx8]

Stupid implies they don't know what they are doing and they are doing this for the sole reason of the game getting GOTY. They do know what they are doing. They're not stupid. It's why they keep chasing massive under the table paychecks from corporations like EA and 2K to rate games the way they do. Millions of dollars to give an indie game with no power a false rating under a bullshit excuse? Anybody would take it. It's immoral and Pegi doesn't give a shit about anybody but themselves. Yong has the attention span and thought process of a goldfish. He can't understand that this isn't stupidity at play. For a guy who is "always in the know for recent news, reviews and discussions", he doesn't know the first fucking thing about anything he makes videos about. The worst part is just how many people blindly believe everything he says.

[@calvinnguyen1870]

Anyone who’s actually played Balatro will tell you that gameplay-wise, Balatro has a lot more in common with Yugioh than with poker.

[@nahuelkid]

Oh no. Now I need a poker themed archetype.

[@kiracaroso]

@@nahuelkid The Card Of Face archetype fits that bill.

[@Number81SuperD]

​@@nahuelkidThere is a playing cards archetype, not a straight poker theme though. Look up the Queen's, King's and Jack's knight cards and their support.

[@felipej.oribeiro6700]

I don't think they play videogames, nor I think they even know someone who play games. But there they are, making videogame-related arbitrage. Such is the dystopian nature of bureaucracy.

[@Sharpester-m4o]

God, I love Yu-Gi-Oh.

[@breakupgoogle4584]

Wow, This Balatro game must have ticked off a lot of rich shareholders and their lackeys.

[@NotAGoodUsername360]

You have no idea how many times the "TONY STARK BUILT THIS IN A CAVE!!! WITH A BOX OF SCRAPS!!!" rant happens in the gaming industry.

[@Divineboots]

@@NotAGoodUsername360 that rant is particularly applicable here sense balatro was made by 1 person who only expected to sell less then a dozen copies! 😂

[@trashnoodle_]

@@Divineboots localthunk only expected 6 people to play the game and those 6 includes his family members lmao

[@jpha98]

Ok then PEGI 18 any game from Tencent, Ubisoft, and EA in the last years

[@TheChaosDragoness]

Don't forget Hoyoverse games

[@CraigSteelyard]

​@@TheChaosDragonesstelltales Poker Night 1 and 2 were not rated 18+ haha

[@kenchicken7377]

​@@TheChaosDragonessspecially wifu cash simulator

[@weshuiz1325]

Forgot NBA

[@TheChaosDragoness]

@@weshuiz1325 Yep we can't forget Take-Two in all this either, they own the 2K series of -lotteries- games

[@flymofoisthebest3885]

Fifa packs are super addictive gambling with ridiculous low odds, most games are pay to win but ea fc 25 is pay to be frustrated

[@guguy00]

I don't even find FUT fun gameplay wise. It's a lot more floaty and irritating unless you have world class players with 100 chemistry. I turned on 100 chem mode once in FIFA 23 and the gameplay was significantly less frustrating than a normal UT game. What I'm saying is UT is less fun than the other modes and I have NO IDEA why people play it when Career Mode exists, which I also have no idea why people play THAT because Football Manager exists.

[@Rabbitlord108]

To quote Abridged Frieza "That's stupid. You're stupid. STOP BEING STUPID!"

[@TKUltra971]

PEGI: "Or we're just being rhetorical!" **Sounds of money dollar counters in background**

[@_Gorrek_]

Always appreciate a DBZA quote in the wild

[@conaninflable2832]

They are not stupid, they know very well what they are doing. one of those pulling the strings at ESRB is Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take Two Interactive

[@bificommander7472]

"I'm disbanding the ESA. Consider this downsizing on a global scale. You can pick up your unemployment check wherever you end up." "Go to hell!" "See, that was my first guess."

[@Rabbitlord108]

@@_Gorrek_ I used it because it perfectly sums up my reaction.

[@iceygamingrulez]

Gacha games can literally turn people into addicts but balatro is the damaging game

[@CraigSteelyard]

There's a gacha mini game on Astro Bot to unlock things for the bots you've saved. I don't see a 18+ rating on the cover 😮😂

[@jacsoslayer]

​@CraigSteelyard That's cuz you don't fork over a credit card for that

[@CiromBreeze]

​@@jacsoslayerYou don't fork over a credit card in Balatro either

[@jins4200]

@@CraigSteelyard Gacha is significantly less predatory when you can't get duplicates lol

[@theunholyknightofyoutube3893]

​@@jins4200Wrong. Quite the opposite, if there are no dupes then they will just reduce the chance to get anything worth while or any of the newest characters added. Yay no dupes but now your chance goes from 5% drop to a 0.05% drop. But hey, no dupes right?

[@TheBlargMarg]

A game that looks like Poker.... IT MUST BE GAMBLING!!!!!

[@haunterdragon4580]

Lesson is the gamers best interest have nothing to do with why they interfere

[@johnnycampos1760]

It doesn't even look like poker lol it has ONE poker element and it's the hand types... But there's no other poker elements here. You don't even place bets

[@leon6257]

It must be a racing game then.

[@Xifihas]

Meanwhile, a game that has you spend real money to spin a slot machine... It's just fine for kids!

[@benkai9921]

​@@johnnycampos1760you also have chips, blinds and ante, definitely a pegi 21 rating

[@ozzcoremidmx8287]

Balatro's creator made the best response to this. Simply perfect considering how infuriating the situation is.

[@Lunaria.Praesentia]

What was it?

[@manfallout91]

​@Lunaria.Praesentia Did you watch not the whole video? 😑 Here 11:49

[@Lunaria.Praesentia]

@@manfallout91 Sorry, I'm at work right now and don't have the time to watch it until I get home, but thank you for the timestamp ☺️

[@manfallout91]

@@Lunaria.Praesentia (^_^)-b Cheers!! And Merry Christmas 🎅

[@Lunaria.Praesentia]

@@manfallout91 same to you!!! Have lovely holidays ❤️❤️❤️

[@conaninflable2832]

Strauss Zelnick is the chairman of the board of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and the CEO and president of Take-Two Interactive Software. the whole system is corrupt.

[@pacmonster066]

ESRB and PEGI are two different rating boards, but I don't disagree with what you said

[@thefiresworddragon927]

Of course the ESRB is run by one of the super leaches

[@Oshroth]

@@thefiresworddragon927 Yes, that is the entire reason for the ESRB existing. The ESRB was created by the games industry to regulate itself so that the US Gov didn't step in and regulate it themselves (like every other country has)

[@CODtpk]

We can confirmed... "EA has bribed to PEGI" and having them put the FC as PEGI 3

[@wdf70]

Balatro: Can't put money into it or take anything out except for the cost of the game and offers much different mechanics than actual gambling card games. - Gambling EA Sports games: Charges for the game itself, can put in money to get randomized card packs in the form of playable sports players to increase your chance of winning matches and can cash out your account through 3rd party means. - Not gambling. Brainless rating boards.

[@dahn57]

Not brainless, corrupt. PEGI is owned run and operated by the biggest game publishers, and are clearly angry that Balatro has been awarded Game of the Year. This is a clear and obvious cartel syndicate of corrupt people attacking an opposing game, trying to prevent the game selling well. PEGI has been supporting and defending the openly criminal gambling systems in many games from big publishers. PEGI was created by publisher to prevent governments from putting REAL age ratings on games. Governments should take PEGI to task and create a REAL indepedent assessor of game ratings.

[@eduardoarmenta9232]

You mean corrupt rating boards. Literally billions of dollars are made with this, they can spare a little just to make sure things stay the same

[@SpoopyChicken]

Oh no, they're not brainless, they know full well what they're doing. Thank EA's "lobbyists" for that.

[@rockfosg]

Why Isn't loot boxes banned?? One thing is buying a weapon/skin pack and knowing what you get, it could be preorder bonuses released as a dlc for those who dosent preorder etc. But straight up loot boxes where you buy in hope to get something you want, it's called a lottery at that point, should be banned all together.

[@HugoIsThatGuy]

In a lot of countries in the EU lootboxes are banned, like the netherlands. your point still stands though, a lot of real poker games are PEGI 12

[@megumins_explosion]

​@@HugoIsThatGuy lootboxes are only banned in two countries.

[@Ninetails2000]

It's because they aren't "Lootboxes." They're "Surprise Mechanics ™️"

[@WardyLion]

And “Fun prizes”

[@jamiehobson6336]

A game about no gambling or any adult card games. Is just a simple card game with roguelike mechanics and solitaire

[@AlexEich]

Just wait till they see Luigi mini games in Mario 64 ds. They’ll just murder our green boi in cold blood

[@Planag7]

I think for a while that WAS a hang up. Same with Pokemon lol

[@nekonomicon2983]

Mario 64 DS should've been rated M for mature just for Luigi's casino games xD

[@Charleyyy678]

Luigi can counter them, by doing absolutely nothing though

[@satyamSaha]

They already did, its now rated PEGI 12 like the older pokemon games.

[@Rogue-a-Pogue]

The Clubhouse games collection on the switch also features poker as one of its games and it is also classed as PEGI 12. There seems to be so real consistancy as to how this rating is applied.

[@CraigSteelyard]

But PEGI doesn't identify the micro transactions in sports games as gambling.. 😅

[@AwakenShogun]

"It's not gambling, it's a surprise mechanic." -some EA female defender sh1t. That's what EA believes when it comes to lootboxes.

[@J--Dubs]

I bet money on Rock Paper Scissors once, so now no one is allowed to include that game in any media if they don’t want an 18+ rating.

[@fajaradi1223]

Please tell me you're not playing with minors back then

[@swattofficer6624]

@@fajaradi1223 they probably WERE a minor, kids do stuff like thatall the time "ill give you a dollar if you beat me, but you have to give me a dollar if i beat you"

[@CiromBreeze]

Helldivers 2: * sweats nervously *

[@CelticGuardian7]

Well that's a lot of Japanese games that are screwed if so. ;)

[@Rough_Estimates]

Show me you're paid off without telling me

[@jacobsoboleski5415]

Still waiting for the video on the backlash against Naughty Dog’s latest trailer.

[@terrysyvertson9205]

you saying that proves you support PEGI's decision and you probably hate that the game even exists

[@jacobsoboleski5415]

@@terrysyvertson9205 I believe he is talking about Yong.

[@SavageKirin]

@@jacobsoboleski5415 the game was made by one guy i doubt he has the money to pay off anyone

[@LaurentIpsum]

So what, Balatro paid him off, and every other gaming outlet too? Edit:looking at this from a distance I think he's talking about the pegi being the ones bought off and the phrasing being very ambiguous

[@RuinedSilver]

"This can be translated to real life poker" Me, playing with a deck of nothing but 5 of clubs- "Whelp, time to go to vegas I guess." Edit- I hope the Dev adds some kind of PEGI joker in the game.

[@twilightvulpine]

Sure those casinos will love your Flush Fives, just say you had a bunch of Tarot cards 😂

[@kelvinfaza2895]

​@@twilightvulpine casually pulled out the ouija spectral card and sigil card.

[@RJS2003]

Now that's what I call having utterly backwards priorities. It's baffling how people can be so confidently wrong about something despite the answers all being right in front of them.

[@michelwaylander5005]

The answer is easy.... just doing a quick peek instead of actually doing their job researching AKA spend time playing the game. And for the low rating for actual gambling games: Thats how they make money. The only baffling thing is, that our legislative/politics dont intervene while condeming corruption everywhere else in the world.

[@teddysadcat]

They do this because they _can_, there's a bit of crybullying ego-trippping involved

[@mightylink65]

A game with playing cards is gambling... But actual gambling stealing real money from children is ok. I hate this world.

[@dinkleding2294]

There are a lot of people (kids especially) who have gotten actual gambling addictions over Fifa (now called EA FC). I feel this can only happen to an indie game, who these organisation's think they can easily bully and rule over.

[@lekalla]

There's a whole casino level in Astro Bot...

[@crtg4672]

Ever since I played that level I lost 10K in casinos. THANKS ASTRO BOT.

[@KurisuSebastian]

GAMBLING must be PEGI 18 😂😂😂

[@madlinkers8595]

casino is a theme in so many video games persona,mario,pokemon,etc but theres clearly something wrong ...shady mtx with loot box is gambling but its not being look at...sadge

[@kie_stone]

Sonic 2 should be 18+ for Casino Night Zone alone

[@Cloudiroth462]

And Pokemon lol

[@MD-vs9ff]

And let's not forget that shitty "basketball" game trailer that was 85% gambling with slots and plinko (and influencers reacting to the gambling), and like 5% basketball clips.

[@invincaspartan]

Awe yes the classic Flush Five hand in Poker... The classic 5 of Kind hand. And of course the Lovely Flush Full House. The classic In real life hands I get...

[@rizwanelansyah471]

Ah yes playing Stone in real life poker to gain 50 chips

[@One_Minute_Gamer_1]

It’s simple. That Balatro dev just didn’t have a lobbyist that would bring down the rating. That’s what EA has and Balatro doesn’t.

[@laurencefraser]

Pretty sure EA just flat out has representation on the board. They certainly do in the USA.

[@glitchgod1128]

Uno by Ubisoft needs to get a changed to an adult only rating.

[@Planag7]

Considering how angry my sister gets lol

[@unironicallydel7527]

PEGI seems to have only gone off of what it looks like from an outside perspective. Ratings Boards are dumb and outdated. The ESRB has gotten into some wacky stuff as well. Also, since they DO only go off trailers and outside perspectives, its not a wonder they label EA Sports and FIFA how they do. They dont care enough to put in the time nor effort to go over games in their entirety.

[@laurencefraser]

The EU and US ratings boards are, to my understanding, pretty much run (not in the sense of corruption, in the sense of how it officially works) by large western publishers. That's really all you need to know regarding their decisions.

[@CoOlKyUbI96]

If the developer who made Balatro was a multi millionaire or billionaire, this wouldn’t have happened

[@laurencefraser]

Nah, the real problem is that said developer isn't part of the club of large western publishers who control (by way of making up some or all of) the ratings boards in the EU and US.

[@CoOlKyUbI96]

@ which I believe ties to the developer’s financial status. Because they’re not rich enough to be part of the club, then PEGI did them dirty

[@dnissrs5892]

Astro Bot literally has a gambling themed level in it with slot machines and even play with them as well...

[@thesilentsociety3252]

Sonic 3 & Knuckles had a slot machine bonus game back in the day and nobody batted an eye

[@anigamerreviews3136]

Naruto Ultimate Ninja 2 had a slot machine in it and the third game both had a slot machine and a roulette wheel. Those were both rated Pegi 12

[@LabMatt]

And yet it's rated 7+ while EA's gambling machine is 3+

[@hitagi_tore7358]

"It's not about money, its about sending a message."🤣

[@TheFallenSong89]

Does this mean solitaire would be considered gambling or similar as it also has them using cards in gambling and could be a gateway into gambling?!

[@Krowtic]

Balatro: PEGI 18 Honkai Star Rail: PEGI 12 Makes total sense.

[@jacobxiaolong9104]

All those e-gambling sites from my country (i.e. the ironically named PlayTime): PEGI 3 (probably)

[@ByakkoFox]

When you realize most of the higher gaming industry’s companies are corrupt and gamers start uncovering the truth, you’ll find yourself wishing for a world where humanity and honesty still thrived.

[@ImmortalJeremy]

My parents and I played poker tons when I was little. No gambling and no bets were made other than fake plastic chips no money. This is beyond overstepping

[@williammoore1030]

Need to be 18 to buy a pack of cards? You can literally gamble on anything that has a winner.

[@blackjacktrial]

All multiplayer games now need to be 18+ - eSports encourage gambling. Sorry, Roblox is now 18+.

[@mattelwood980]

Yong is correct..board games are now 18+ because they teach kids how to throw dice.

[@pokehybridtrainer]

Not all of them. Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics is E for everyone while the UK rates it 12+. Guess PEGI is bringing a blind eye to FIFA, huh.

[@TheGameLad1998]

It’s wild to think that Luigi Poker on Mario 64 DS would make the game an 18 by current standards. How else will the future generations learn to gamble?

[@CraigSteelyard]

Also what about the Blackjack mini game in the World is Not Enough PS1 game haha

[@osirisatot19]

Mario should be PEGI 18 because it teaches kids to jump on turtles; and that's animal abuse which is a crime.

[@NavnikBHSilver]

They should age-restrict the wikipedia page of Poker, because it also contains all of the information described! But casino commercials are fine, they're just letting you know a venue exists.

[@MrMariobun]

By that logic we should re-evaluate Mario 64 DS for having Luigi deal cards to you for coins.

[@UndernetBroker]

Anyone know where PEGI put their Clown Shoes?

[@dalob112]

Definitely on their Feet right now, together with the Rest of the Clown Costume.

[@mehcutcheon2401]

Can't you hear the horns? They are unicycling their 'freshly creampied faces' way past the balancing polar bear on their way to the lion tamer.

[@endlesslogins156]

So AAA publishers are threatened by Balatro and used Pegi to limit the dev's reach. I need to buy this game now.

[@Clever_Potato]

The reason the ESRB and PEGI were created in The first place was due to scare that the government would start regulating games if we didn't. This is dangerous because when it becomes a real problem that governments look into more they'll realize these organizations aren't doing what they're supposed to do and step in

[@maniacmatt7340]

My high school thought a deck of cards meant I was gambling. So yeah, the brain rot is real.

[@Megamean09]

Are you telling me that the kind of people who think it's okay to tell creatives what they can and can't create... are STUPID????? Say it ain't so!😱

[@ratzyukar]

Thank you for opening my eyes man, I took my copy of Mario Party while my little cousin was mid game and chugged it into the stratosphere, I won't have no rolling dice in this fine, christian house.

[@ipostlamememesallthetime953]

I saw a meme about this floating around the interwebs Funny stuff Solitaire card games are now 18+ Odd times we live in, huh? 🤔🤔🤔

[@jabbawookeez01]

so i can be like...7 playing fifa and use real money on loot boxes.. on fucking fifa. but i am being told i cant play a card game that doesnt use any real money and its essentially just "beat high score" type game. bruh

[@michelwaylander5005]

best thing about it is: You can do it EVERY YEAR for the SAME game again! That is how you print money..... and nobody seems to see or care about it. I dont understand how it is still going.

[@hoelio]

Meanwhile mobile games targeted at children can be full of microtransactions and lootboxes while not even having an age rating

[@meisterwu8922]

Super Mario 64 DS had real poker as an unlockable mini game yet the Pegi rated it 3+

[@grimlord5113]

I remember how funny it was to me that in the best mobile game award in the game balatro was nominated along with all other gacha games And balatro the game inspired by poker is the only one outta all of them without gambling

[@Lukasaske]

Fine, I'll play Balatro

[@TKUltra971]

And WHO didn't see this coming lightyears away? They know exactly what they are doing. Same thing with Sony and their social engineering over the years in the games they have hands in producing/funding. Money openeth all doors.

[@MoonlightHorizon-ev7ev]

Tell me you're bought and for without telling me you're bought and paid for...

[@jonathanabad4570]

The biggest indictment is on the sidebar. Astro Bot is PEGI 7 while EA Sports FC and Rocket League are both PEGI 3. It's almost as if they want microtransactions in front of the most people who are incapable of understanding what that could lead to as possible and actively want to restrict access to feature complete games as much as they can get away with. The ratings boards are all self policing programs to avoid government interference and it has become clear that it wasn't worth it

[@weshuiz1325]

- There are no oponents - no bets can be made - no real money is involved - has elements of poker but does not play like it WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND DID THIS?!!

[@laurencefraser]

An entity largely controlled by the large publishers who make sports games that are Intentionally Designed to hit all the same buttons in the human brain as slot machines, and then some, with less regulation... And who are really good at extracting money from the resulting addicts but really bad at making popular games people actually like.

[@CodecrafterArtemis]

Remember a game, I think it was an NBA 2k game, which had a literal pachinko machine and a literal wheel of fortune wheel? It got a 3+ rating...

[@vincentsissom4180]

...I can hardly wait till Dave the Diver gets that 18 Pegi Rating due to the crossover.

[@fortheloveofking]

Balatro is fucking awesome.

[@GodsDragoon]

Even if the game was just poker it has no real money or microtransactions involved and basic card games by themselves should not have age rating warnings labeled on them.

[@tylerwood8710]

I bet $5 this video gets more than one million views. Your video is now 18+. Congrats, Yong.

[@KL53986]

The overlords of Greed noticed.

[@TheDorianTube]

Balantro didn't pay the ''juice'' tax and got hit.

[@dragonhitman1071]

Poker itself does not require the use of money. Might as well say that rock paper scissors is adult gambling.

[@HarbingerOfRespite]

It's not about whether or not your game is gambling. What matters is whether or not you donate to the right politicians and/or PEGI. These devs did neither, and PEGI will either get their cut, or you'll get cut.

[@AzarathMetreon]

“This skill set could translate to real life poker.” And Call of Duty translates to real life drone piloting, are they gonna try to ban the yearly Duty release next or something?

[@grassypond]

If you look at the list of games on the left, it seems that PEGI gave Modern Warfare 3 an 18+ rating at least

[@CalvoV8]

Wait, gambling for what currency? Playing poker without a bet, is not gambling. Idiotic.

[@starsuper64]

This is the same reason why pokemon games cant have slot machine games anymore. Or why Luigi can't deal you in Poker (Although there might be more than one reason for that)

[@Eskeletor_210]

I miss the slots on Pokémon red

[@laurencefraser]

The first is almost certainly a ratings issue (the EU and US ratings entities are controled by the big publishers based in those areas, in the sense of being made up of representatives of said companies, last I checked), the second is probably just Nintendo doing Nintendo things.

[@starsuper64]

@laurencefraser I was making a Luigi joke about the second one regarding someone with the same name

[@TheLuceon]

"This just in, all FPS shooters have been reclassified by PEGI as '18+' since it teaches the player how to shoot people." "This just in, all fantasy action games have been reclassified by PEGI as '18+' since it teaches the player how to attack people with a sword." "This just in, all educational games that teach math have been reclassified by PEGI as '18+' since it teaches the player how to count, which is a skill used in counting cards in Black Jack."

[@BradStarnes]

So Balatro's a problem because it LOOKS like gambling (even though, honestly, it doesn't really) but predatory loot boxes which are ACTUALLY gambling is still just fine. I still believe that loot boxes are allowed because of kickbacks. I honestly think that at least some of these people are getting paid off. I have no evidence but I wouldn't be surprised.

[@laurencefraser]

Not sure about the EU but in the USA, no kickbacks are required, as the ratings board is just straight up made up of representatives of the largest western publishers. I seem to recall the EU having a similar issue. Australia and New Zealand's government run rating systems have their issues*, but That's not one of them. *Australia has no R ratings (unless that changed in recent years). It's M is a bit more permissive than most, but it's still an M, not an R. If your game doesn't qualify for that M (or lower) rating, you just straight up cannot distribute it in Australia.

[@bretterry8356]

I learned how to play 5-card draw and 7-card stud from my cousins at a family reunion when I was 6, but we didn't bet anything. It's been 30 years and I've never gambled a day in my life. Poker cards aren't gambling. Betting on chance is gambling. Yes, people often bet on poker, but they also bet on March Madness and the Super Bowl and the FIFA World Cup. Might as well make all sports games 18+. Oh wait, those games actually do have in-game lotteries. They can stay All Ages.

[@AnimaJumper]

So i just take jokers to my local Casino and build my flush fives to win money 😂😂

[@Supersteam09]

It’s funny how the people who’re censoring games outed themselves. Square Enix was talking about PEGI!

[@Z3RN0]

If there is not real life money involved, it is not gambling...

[@EaA32]

Nintendo Club House games is rated E for everyone (Pegi 12)...it has blackjack and many other casino card games in it 💀

[@trinketsphinx3212]

7:20 -- ...why did my brain immediately jump to russian roullette when he said this?

[@toblerone1729]

This isn't new in the slightest, the PEGI 18 slap on Balatro happened not that long after the game was released

[@verysadcatc7897]

Loot boxes are considered gambling? I thought EA claimed that it was just a surprise mechanic.

[@goldenalbumen]

A "surprise mechanic" that can be purchased is gambling.

[@kokosan09]

when the suits can't make millions upon millions off of it, it's gambling and dangerous. everything else is a-okay. pretty easy to understand once you realise this.

[@Allustar]

How? Gambling has stakes. The worst that can happen in Balatro is that you lose the round and have to start over from the beginning, but all roguelikes do that. Pegi is 100% corrupt.

[@googaagoogaa12345678]

This is... there are no words for this stupidity. On a side note, i got this on my deck... yeah, goodbye spare time. It's pretty damn good.

[@allthenamesiwantedweretaken]

This just tells me PEGI literally didn’t even attempt to look into Balatro’s gameplay, they just heard “Card game like poker” and said “It’s Gambling”.

[@josephsigala6631]

Balatro a game that don't us real money ( not including buy the game ) just buy the game and that it and the gameplay of balatro is not even closed to poker meanwhile EA and it long history of micro transactions have loot boxes that random for the sack of random and its paying more money dispite the paying for the game

[@Yosory]

Same in Germany with USK. Pokemon is age 12+ because there is a slot machine in the game. However FIFA lootboxes and pay to win are fine (USK 0)...

[@DeadCardinal]

Wow, that's dumb and really shady

[@redjacks09]

taken from Pegi description of Dragon Quest XI S, rated 12: This game also features moving images that teach and encourage the use of games of chance. The player can enter a casino and take part in card games, such as poker, and bet on slot machines. All of these minigames feature a betting system and detailed instructions about how to play the games.

[@tyroneisrael5631]

Ftc: Claims balatro is gambling. Also Ftc: Let fifa/fc get a pass

[@CrowMercury]

Balatro should give PEGI some money like Fifa did. What, we are suppose to fake that’s not what is going on here?

[@SjoerdvanGestel]

Follow the Money

[@MaMastoast]

Not once has Balatro even remotely reminded me of gambling.

[@user-nk1hw5zl5y]

So...is Yu-Gi-Oh gambling now too?

[@Charleyyy678]

Well probably no. Because Yu Gi Oh doesn’t involve money or earning goods from money

[@MurderWeaponLimited]

@@Charleyyy678 i mean, buying booster packs is basically a loot box, since you dont know what's in it.

[@jfmg64]

From ASTRO BOT which is PEGI 7: Other issues One level has a casino theme. Astro traverses a map littered with casino chips and dice, and slot machines are depicted in the background. However, players cannot gamble.

[@Charleyyy678]

@@jfmg64 that’s different cause you can’t interact with the slot machines.

[@JanjoZone]

"gamlbing"

[@masterowl123]

I'm never letting my child near a pack of playing cards again!

[@josephfrye7342]

I find it irony

[@dradedeadeye2310]

At this point, PEGI would end up labeling solitaire as gambling

[@DontBeAJinx]

0:20 Bro tried so hard not to call it a Card Game...