The Government has responded to a written question on ensuring there are adequate age-related controls in place for people purchasing Non-Fungible Tokens in video games. The question was answered by Labour MP for Ealing Central and Acton, Rupa Huq. The Minister of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Julia Lopez said the Government was committed to ensuring video games are played safely by children. See the full response below:
Video Games: Children
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Monday 24 January 2022
Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that there are adequate age-related controls in place for people purchasing Non-Fungible Tokens in video games.
Julia Lopez: This Government is committed to ensuring that video games are enjoyed safely and consumers are empowered to make informed decisions. Video game ratings are mandatory under UK law for physical products. The Games Rating Authority – which is part of the Video Standards Council – rates games using the Pan European Games Information (PEGI) system. In addition to age classifications, PEGI ratings also include content descriptors to ensure buyers are informed about games at the point of purchase, including whether a title contains ‘in-game purchases’, such as Non-Fungible Tokens, loot boxes and other in-game items.
We will continue to work with industry and other relevant stakeholders to understand the impact of new in-game technologies.