UK and European games bodies warn EU Digital Fairness Act could weaken parental choice and PEGI ratings
Industry groups say the draft rules could also reduce free games and add compliance costs for developers, and are calling for a rethink.
The European Commission has formally published its proposed Digital Fairness Act, drawing pushback from UK and European games industry bodies. UKIE says blanket restrictions would weaken parents' ability to decide what children can access, add compliance costs for developers, and undermine the PEGI age-rating system. Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen argues the draft would hurt consumers by reducing free games, shifting purchase decisions for children from parents to the Commission, and making euro values for in-game currency misleading because players buy currency at varying prices. Both sides say they support safe play for children, and industry groups have called for an urgent rethink of the proposal as it stands.
Why it matters
The dispute is about who decides what children can buy and play. UKIE and Supercell's CEO argue that blanket limits would shift that choice away from parents and toward the Commission, and would weaken the PEGI rating system that many families rely on. Both sides say they support safe play for children, so the disagreement is over method rather than goal. If the proposal is not revised, the practical question for families and for games makers is whether protections are set case by case by parents or applied uniformly across the EU.
Series EU Digital Fairness Act draft
- EU draft law would tighten rules on loot boxes and virtual currencies in free-to-play games
- UK and European games bodies warn EU Digital Fairness Act could weaken parental choice and PEGI ratings
- European games trade bodies call the draft Digital Fairness Act unworkable
- EU draft would ban paid loot boxes for minors and let adults switch off compulsive features
Matters or hype?
Does this story matter, or is it hype? Vote before you see what everyone else said.