Lazy Legislation Means UK Game Ratings Mean Legally Nothing

When I used to work at Best Buy, there was a very regimented process in place about not selling M-rated games to kids. You have to see their license, type in their birthdate and if I’m not mistaken, remind their parents that the game is M-rated. The reason? You and Best Buy can be held legally responsible for selling an M game to a minor, due to laws concerning game sale passed in the States.

Well, similar laws were passed in the UK to “protect” children from the evils of violent and sexy games. Only they weren’t. Observe:

“A recently discovered error means that the 1984 Video Recordings Act, which regulates the classification and sale of videos, never actually passed into law in the UK. The Times, which shrilly claims in its headline that children are now “unprotected,” reports that “Officials in the Home Office had failed to notify the European Commission of the existence of the Act as they were required to do so under an EU directive.” Of specific interest to gamers: the law regulates the classification and sale of video games as well. It is this law that would give the PEGI rating system its legal backing.”

Whoops.

One time, a kid came up to me trying to buy Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. His 17th birthday was in a week. I gave it to him. I didn’t think he was a corporate spy.

[via Joystiq]