PEGI

PEGI, short for Pan-European Game Information, is a European video game content rating system. It was created to help people in Europe know what age is appropriate for different video games and apps. This system started in April 2003 and replaced many different national rating systems with one European system.

PEGI is managed by PEGI s.a., a not-for-profit company based in Belgium. It is used in 36 countries and follows a code of conduct that all publishers using PEGI must agree to. The system has five age categories and nine content descriptors to show if a game is suitable for a certain age group based on its content. The age rating does not show how difficult the game is or how good you need to be at playing it.

Age ratings

PEGI has six age categories to help families decide which games are right for their children.

In addition to age categories, PEGI uses nine content descriptors to tell families about what might be in a game, such as action or scary scenes. Some countries changed their age categories slightly when they first started using PEGI, but now they all use the same ratings.

Rating	Description
	PEGI 3 rating is used on games which content is considered suitable for all age groups. PEGI 3 games shouldn't contain bad language or content that is considered to be too frightening to young children. Any depicted violence should be very mild and depicted in a comical context or a childlike setting.
	Games with PEGI 7 rating may contain content that can be seen as frightening to younger children. Violence depicted in implied, non-detailed or non-realistic way is acceptable. As of July 2026, will also include games "play by appointment", such as daily or weekly quests.
	Games with PEGI 12 rating can include violence depicted in a slightly more graphic nature towards fantasy characters or non-realistic violence towards human-like characters. They may contain sexual innuendos, sexual posturing or mild bad language. As of July 2026, will also include games with in-game purchasable content.
	PEGI 16 rating is applied on games with a realistic depiction of violence or sexual activity, more extreme use of bad language, usage of tobbaco, alcohol or illegal drugs. As of July 2026, will also include games with purchasable random items like loot boxes.
	PEGI 18 classification is applied on games with violence depicted in a way that can be seen as gross or towards defenceless characters. Content may also contain apparently motiveless killing. The rating also applies when illegal drugs, simulation of gambling or explicit sexual activity is glamorised. As of July 2026, will also include games with block chain or NFT purchasing features.
	In addition to age ratings, there is a special rating represented by an exclamation point labeled "Parental Guidance Recommended". These contents are available for all ages, but it is recommended that parents (mostly with children who are under the age of 18) supervise activities within the program.

Icon	Content descriptor	Active since	Explanation	Corresponding age ratings
	Bad Language	2003	The game contains bad language. This descriptor can be found on games with a PEGI 12 (mild swearing), PEGI 16 or PEGI 18 rating (e.g. sexual expletives or blasphemy).
	Discrimination	2003	The game contains depictions of ethnic, religious, nationalistic or other stereotypes deemed likely to encourage hatred. This content is always restricted to a PEGI 18 rating (and may infringe national criminal laws). As of 2026, only five titles have this descriptor: two expansions for Postal 2 – Share the Pain (2004) and Apocalypse Weekend (classified 2005); Original War (classified 2004); Patriots: A Nation Under Fire (2006); and SWAT: Target Liberty (2007, the only PSP title to do that).
	Drugs	2003	The game refers to or depicts the use of illegal drugs, narcotics, alcohol or tobacco. Games with this content descriptor are rated either PEGI 16 or PEGI 18.
	Fear/Horror	2003	The Fear descriptor may appear on games with a PEGI 7 if they contain pictures or sounds that may be frightening or scary to young children. The Horror descriptor may appear on PEGI 12, PEGI 16, or PEGI 18 games with horror sound effects or images, but not necessarily any violent content. Although PEGI's official website states that only games rated PEGI 7 may carry the Fear descriptor as of 2024, it also lists three titles previously rated PEGI 12 – Road to India (classified 2007), Ultima VII Complete (classified 2013) and the hidden object game collection Grim Tales: Die Gray Familien-Saga (2017) – as well as the PEGI 16 title ABE VR (2016) as displaying the Fear descriptor instead of Horror.	Fear: Horror:
	Gambling	2003	The game contains elements that encourage or teach gambling. These simulations of gambling refer to games of chance that are normally carried out in casinos or gambling halls. Games with this sort of content could previously be classified at PEGI 12 or PEGI 16. As of 2020, all new games with such content, whether or not real-life currency is directly involved, are rated PEGI 18, although older games retain their existing classifications.	Former:
	Sex	2003	This content descriptor can accompany a PEGI 12 rating if the game includes sexual posturing or innuendo, a PEGI 16 rating if there is erotic nudity or sexual intercourse without visible genitals, or a PEGI 18 rating if there is explicit sexual activity in the game. Depictions of nudity in a non-sexual context do not require a specific age rating, and this descriptor would not be necessary.
	Violence	2003	The game contains depictions of violence. In games rated PEGI 7 this can only be non-realistic or non-detailed violence. Games rated PEGI 12 can include violence in a fantasy environment or non-realistic violence towards human-like characters, whereas games rated PEGI 16 or 18 have increasingly more realistic-looking violence.
	Online	2003	May contain online interactions.
	In-Game Purchases	2018	The game presents players with the options to purchase digital goods or services with real-world currency. These purchases include but are not limited to bonus levels, skins, surprise items, music, virtual coins and other forms of in-game currency, subscriptions, season passes and upgrades (e.g. to disable ads). This descriptor may be accompanied by an additional notice that the game includes random items such as loot boxes.

Portugal	Finland
2003–2021	2003–2007

Rating process

To get a rating for a video game, the company that makes the game sends it to a special group called the Netherlands Institute for the Classification of Audiovisual Media, known as NICAM. This group looks at the game and decides what age it’s suitable for, using rules similar to the Dutch Kijkwijzer system. After the review, the company can use a special label to show the game’s age rating. If they don’t agree with the rating, they can ask for more information or file a complaint with a special board.

The PEGI system is watched over by many different groups. There is a PEGI Council that helps change the rules when needed. It includes people who know a lot about protecting kids, like parents, teachers, and experts. There is also a Complaints Board with experts from many European countries. If someone has a problem with a game’s rating, they can ask the Complaints Board for help. The board will listen and make a decision that everyone must follow.

Global cooperation in IARC

In 2013, PEGI helped start the International Age Rating Coalition with USK and the ESRB. This group works to make it easier to give age ratings to games and apps that people can download. Now, by filling out one form, a company can quickly get age ratings from PEGI, USK, ESRB, ACB, and others—all at once.

PEGI Online

In 2007, PEGI Online was created to help keep online games safer for young people in Europe. It aims to protect kids from unsuitable content and to teach parents how to make online play safer. This project is supported by the European Commission.

PEGI Online follows four main ideas: a safety code that everyone agrees to, a special logo for approved services, a website for more information, and a way to handle problems. Only services that follow the safety rules can use the PEGI Online logo.

Usage

PEGI is the standard age rating system for video games in 36 European countries. You can also find PEGI labels on games around the world, like in India or Latin America, because of imports for different languages. How PEGI works can change in each country, depending on their laws about age ratings and protecting younger players. In some places, PEGI is the main system without special rules. In others, it is the only system allowed by law. And in many more countries, PEGI is part of the laws that decide which games kids can buy.

Country	Status	Local system
Albania	Officially supports PEGI and is represented in the PEGI Council.
Austria	Officially supports PEGI. Although there is no specific legislative basis at the federal level, PEGI is legally adopted and enforceable in the federal state of Vienna and Carinthia. Other states do not prescribe a specific labelling system, with the exception of Salzburg, where USK labels are mandatory. Represented in the PEGI Council.
Belgium	Officially supports PEGI, but there is no specific legislative basis.
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Officially supports PEGI and is represented in the PEGI Council.
Bulgaria	Officially supports PEGI and is represented in the PEGI Council, but there is no specific legislative basis.
Croatia	Officially support PEGI and PEGI age classifications are mandatory by law. However, distributors have to submit official announcement to national videogame commission (consisting of 3 people from HAVC, CGDA and AEM) to approve this rating (and de facto, release of videogame) for inside of Croatia. In case of disapproval, distributors have to highlight the change of age rating inside Croatia, according to decision of national videogame commission.
Cyprus	Officially supports PEGI, but there is no specific legislative basis. Northern Cyprus however does not officially support PEGI, but uses it. Nor does it have a legislative basis, even though it is internationally recognised as part of the Republic of Cyprus, some laws like those do not apply there. PEGI labels are used as most are imported from Turkey and the rest of the EU.
Czech Republic	Officially supports PEGI, but there is no specific legislative basis.
Denmark	Officially supports PEGI and is represented in the PEGI Council, but there is no specific legislative basis.
Estonia	Officially supports PEGI, but there is no specific legislative basis.
Finland	In Finland, games with PEGI ratings are exempt from mandatory classification with national age symbols. Both classifications are enforced by the penal code. Represented in the PEGI Council.	KAVI
France	France has adopted legislation making classification of video games with age labels mandatory. Represented in the PEGI Council.
Greece	Officially supports PEGI and is represented in the PEGI Council, but there is no specific legislative basis.
Hungary	Officially supports PEGI. Games rated PEGI 18 are exempt from carrying Hungarian warning label "Not suitable for minors under 18" required by law on protecting minors.
Iceland	PEGI is officially supported and age classifications are mandatory for video games by law.
Ireland	PEGI ratings are exempt from mandatory classification by IFCO, which adopts PEGI. IFCO is still legally empowered to ban certain video game content from the market. Represented in the PEGI Council.
Italy	Officially supports PEGI and is represented in the PEGI Council, but there is no specific legislative basis.
Kosovo	Officially supports PEGI and is represented in the PEGI Council.
Latvia	Officially supports PEGI, but there is no specific legislative basis.
Lithuania	Lithuanian legislation has adopted PEGI which is exempt from mandatory classification with national age symbols. Both classifications are enforced by the penal code as of November 2010.
Luxembourg	Officially supports PEGI and is represented in the PEGI Council, but there is no specific legislative basis.
Malta	Officially supports PEGI and is represented in the PEGI Council, PEGI is the legally enforceable system for game classification in Malta since January 2016.
Moldova	Officially supports PEGI and is represented in the PEGI Council.
Montenegro	Officially supports PEGI and is represented in the PEGI Council.
Netherlands	PEGI is officially adopted and legislation is in place to enforce age classification in shops where video games are sold.
North Macedonia	Officially supports PEGI and is represented in the PEGI Council.
Norway	Officially supports PEGI and is represented in the PEGI Council, but there is no specific legislative basis.
Poland	Officially supports PEGI and is represented in the PEGI Council, but there is no specific legislative basis.
Portugal	PEGI has officially been adopted by the Portuguese Classification Board IGAC. Represented in the PEGI Council.	IGAC
Romania	Officially supports PEGI, but there is no specific legislative basis.
Serbia	Officially supports PEGI and is represented in the PEGI Council.
Slovakia	Officially supports PEGI, games which obtained PEGI rating are exempt from mandatory classification within national JSO rating system.	JSO
Slovenia	Officially supports PEGI, but there is no specific legislative basis.
Spain	Officially supports PEGI and is represented in the PEGI Council, but there is no specific legislative basis.
Sweden	Officially supports PEGI and is represented in the PEGI Council, but there is no specific legislative basis.
Ukraine	Officially supports PEGI and is represented in the PEGI Council.
United Kingdom	Officially supports PEGI (PEGI is the legally enforceable system for game classification in the UK since 30 July 2012). Represented in the PEGI Council.	BBFC

Country	Status	Local system
Germany	The USK system is adopted and enforced, however, in Turkey, USK is age recommendation. Games that are refused classification by the USK can be placed on the BzKJ index. PEGI is not recognised, although PEGI labelling can sometimes be found on retail games along with the USK rating, usually for titles printed for multiple markets. Not represented on the PEGI Council.	USK
India	Uses PEGI labels in almost all foreign & Indian published video games inside the country, and so do the publishers, but does not have an official legislative basis regarding PEGI, and is not represented in the PEGI council.
Israel	PEGI has been adopted by law as the mandatory classification system for video games in Israel since 2007. Not represented on the PEGI Council.
Russia	RARS system adopted in 2012. All games, including imported, must have the RARS rating present. PEGI labels were originally used prior to 2012, but were never officially recognised.	RARS
Switzerland	Uses PEGI labels in almost all foreign & Swiss published video games inside the country as of January 1, 2025, and so do the publishers, but does not have an official legislative basis regarding PEGI, and is not represented in the PEGI council, but ESRB labels appears commonly on digital stores.	ESRB
Turkey	Uses PEGI labels in almost all foreign & Turkish published video games inside the country, and so do the publishers, but does not have an official legislative basis regarding PEGI, and is not represented in the PEGI council.

Reception

Portrayals of gambling

Games that include features similar to casino games and gambling might get higher age ratings. For example, a 2016 version of Pokémon Red and Blue for the Nintendo 3DS received a "12" rating because of a feature called "Game Corner" that included slot machines. These machines could be played with in-game money to win coins for items.

In 2019, the basketball game NBA 2K20 faced criticism for a trailer showing chance-based games similar to casino games like roulette, slots, and pachinko. This raised concerns because many games use "loot box" features, which some people feel are too much like real gambling. PEGI explained that their rules about gambling apply only to games that actually teach or encourage gambling, even though they understood some viewers might have found the trailer’s images too close to real gambling.

The game Balatro had its PEGI rating raised from 3+ to 18+ shortly after it came out in February 2024 because of images that looked like gambling. The game’s publisher said that while it uses poker hands, it does not encourage real gambling. Later, in February 2025, PEGI changed the rating for Balatro and another game, Luck Be a Landlord (which inspired Balatro), back to PEGI 12. They decided this because the games’ fantasy style made the gambling aspects less realistic. PEGI also plans to create clearer rules for games with gambling-like features in the future.