Join the Guild

POL-06

Age Ratings Policy

How we apply PEGI age ratings and the law when selling games and when games are played on our gaming PCs.

Applies to: All staff, and anyone buying games from us or playing games on our gaming PCs in the upstairs room.

1. Purpose

Video games carry age ratings to protect children from unsuitable content. We follow those ratings and the law. This policy explains what staff do and what customers can expect.

2. Scope

It covers every sale of a new or second-hand video game, including retro games, at the tills and at events, and every game played on our gaming PCs and consoles in the upstairs room. It also covers click and collect orders and any future delivery orders.

3. Policy statement

PEGI (Pan European Game Information) ratings are 3, 7, 12, 16 and 18. Under the Video Recordings Act 1984, as it applies to games, it is illegal to supply a game rated PEGI 12, PEGI 16 or PEGI 18 to anyone under that age. Supply includes selling, giving and lending. We follow this without exception.

Ratings of 3 and 7 are guidance, not a legal restriction, but staff may give advice to parents on content.

4. Challenge 25

We use Challenge 25. If someone looks under 25 and wants to buy a game rated PEGI 12 or above, or a console bundle that includes one, staff ask for proof of age. Acceptable proof is a passport, a photocard driving licence or a PASS-accredited proof of age card. Without acceptable proof, we do not make the sale.

  1. Check the PEGI rating on the box, case or store listing before the sale.
  2. If the buyer looks under 25, ask for proof of age.
  3. Check the photo matches the person, the date of birth shows they are old enough and the document is genuine and in date.
  4. If you are not sure, refuse politely and ask the person in charge of the shift.
  5. If you refuse, record the refusal in the refusals log.

5. Adults buying for children

An adult may buy a game as a gift, and staff may point out the rating and content. If it is clear the game is for an under-age child who is present, we refuse the sale. Staff use their judgement and, if unsure, refuse.

6. Games on our gaming PCs

Selling or supplying age-rated games below the rating is illegal under the Video Recordings Act 1984. We apply the same PEGI limits to play on our PCs and consoles as a firm house rule.

  • A young person may only play a game if they are at or above its PEGI age rating. Staff check the rating of any game before it is started.
  • If a game has no PEGI rating, or an online game has user-created content, staff decide whether it is suitable for the youngest person in the room.
  • Staff may refuse a game, or ask a player to close it, if the content is not suitable for those nearby, whatever the rating.
  • Where a young person is watching someone else play, the game must be suitable for the youngest person who can see the screen.
  • Parental consent does not change the PEGI limits in the room.

7. Trading cards and other products

Trading cards, such as Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering cards, are not age-restricted by law and are sold to customers of any age. Rules about children selling or trading valuable items are in the Under-18s and Parental Consent Policy (POL-04).

8. Refusals log

Every time we refuse a sale because of age, or a customer cannot prove their age, staff write it down in the refusals log. The record shows the date, the time, the item and the reason, with a short description of the customer. It does not need the person's name. The Managing Director reviews the log regularly and looks for patterns. Records are kept for at least 12 months.

9. Roles and responsibilities

  • Managing Director: makes sure staff are trained, the log is kept and the rules are applied.
  • Staff on the till and in the upstairs room: check ratings, ask for proof of age and refuse where required.
  • Person in charge of the shift: supports staff who refuse a sale and deals with customer complaints on the day.

New staff learn the PEGI system and Challenge 25 before they work on a till.

10. If this policy is not followed

Selling an age-restricted game to an under-age customer is a criminal offence and can lead to a fine or imprisonment for the business and the individual. A member of staff who ignores this policy may face disciplinary action. Customers who abuse staff who apply this policy may be banned.