Buying a game for a child starts with a number on the box, and most of us stop there. The small icons beside it tell you far more — though neither the number nor the icons can say anything about who your child ends up talking to online. None of that is cause for alarm. It is a reason to spend two minutes on the back of the box and ten on the console’s family controls.

What PEGI 3, 7, 12, 16 and 18 actually mean

PEGI — Pan European Game Information — gives every game sold in UK shops one of five age labels. It is a minimum age for the content, not a prediction of who will enjoy it.

Rating PEGI’s own wording Often also means
PEGI 3 “Suitable for all age groups” Nothing frightening, no bad language
PEGI 7 Scenes or sounds that “can possibly be frightening to younger children” Mild peril, non-detailed violence
PEGI 12 Slightly more graphic violence towards fantasy characters, or non-realistic violence towards human-like characters Mild bad language, innuendo, gambling as a theme
PEGI 16 Violence or sexual activity that “looks the same as would be expected in real life” Strong language, drug and tobacco references
PEGI 18 Gross violence, “apparently motiveless killing”, or violence towards defenceless characters Explicit content, glamorised drug use

A game will not always match the film certificate of the same name: the criteria differ, and PEGI weighs interactivity. Judge it on its own label.

The content descriptors matter more than the number

Beside the age label sit small icons. They explain why a game earned its rating, which is the part that helps you decide.

  • Violence — from bloodless and non-detailed at PEGI 7 to graphic at 18.
  • Bad language — a PEGI 16 earned on swearing is a different proposition from one earned on violence.
  • Fear — images or sounds likely to frighten younger children; Horror on older ratings.
  • Gambling — games that depict, teach or prominently reference gambling.
  • Sex — from posturing and innuendo at 12 through to explicit content at 18.
  • Drugs — reference to, or depiction of, illegal drugs, alcohol or tobacco.
  • Discrimination — stereotypes likely to encourage hatred. Rare, and worth researching.
  • In-game purchases — real money can be spent inside the game, with a separate label for paid random items: loot boxes.

PEGI now also runs a set of interactive risk categories — paid random items, time-limited offers, cryptocurrency and NFTs, unrestricted communication and pressure to play. Unlike the content icons, several set a minimum age by themselves. The full list is on PEGI’s what do the labels mean page.

Which ratings UK law enforces, including online

In the UK, PEGI 12, 16 and 18 are legally enforceable: it is a criminal offence for a retailer to supply a game to someone under the rated age. PEGI 3 and 7 are advisory, not law.

Three things follow:

  • It applies to online orders too. A retailer selling a 12, 16 or 18 rated game online has to satisfy itself the buyer is old enough — hence the age prompt at checkout.
  • The restriction is on the sale, not on your living room. A parent who buys a PEGI 16 game and lets a 13-year-old play it is not breaking the law. The offence sits with the seller.
  • The rating describes the game, not your child. Two 13-year-olds can be in different places.

Every title in the video games range shows its PEGI rating alongside the platform, so you can check both before anything is wrapped.

Ratings cover content, not difficulty — and not other players

Two misreadings cause most disappointment.

Difficulty is not rated at all

PEGI says nothing about how hard a game is. A PEGI 3 platformer can be punishing, and a PEGI 7 game may assume reading speed a younger child has not got yet. Watch a few minutes of footage and look for assist modes.

The rating stops where other people start

A rating covers what the developer put in the box. It cannot cover what a stranger says over voice chat, or how a live game changes six months after release. PEGI flags unrestricted communication, but a label warns you — it cannot police the conversation.

What helps here is mundane:

  • Keep chat to friends the child knows, using the console’s settings rather than the game’s.
  • Play in a shared room for the first few weeks, not behind a bedroom door.
  • Show them how to mute, block and report before they need it, so it is routine rather than drama. A wired gaming headset also lets you hear how a session is going.

Money: in-game purchases, loot boxes and spending limits

A boxed game is paid for once. Unexpected spending comes from free-to-play games, season passes and in-game currency.

Loot boxes — paid items whose contents are random — are still not classed as gambling under the Gambling Act 2005 in Great Britain, and that remains industry principle rather than legislation. What changed in June 2026 was the rating, not the law. PEGI’s interactive risk categories give a newly submitted game a minimum PEGI 16 if it sells paid random items, a minimum PEGI 12 if it runs time-limited or quantity-limited offers, and PEGI 18 if it uses NFTs or blockchain. Games rated earlier keep their label unless resubmitted, so an older title may still show a 3 where a new one with the same mechanics shows 16. The useful controls are on the console:

  • Do not save a payment card on the child’s account. Top the wallet up with a gift card instead.
  • Set a monthly spending limit where the platform offers one.
  • Turn on purchase approval, so a request reaches your phone rather than a receipt.
  • Talk about the currencies. Games price things in gems and coins so the real cost is hard to see.

Family controls on PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo

All three are free and work the same way: set up a family, give the child their own account rather than using yours, then set the limits. Budget ten minutes.

PlayStation

The family manager sets restrictions, and the free PlayStation Family app handles the day-to-day: playtime limits for each day of the week, content presets by age, a monthly spending limit and social features. A blocked game generates a request you approve or decline from your phone. Sony’s parental controls page walks through the setup.

Xbox

Xbox uses a Microsoft family group. Once a child account is in it, you can set content limits by age, screen time, privacy settings for multiplayer and chat, and ask-to-buy approval. Change them on the console, online or in Xbox’s family app. Start at Xbox’s family and online safety hub.

Nintendo

The Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app is free and works with Switch and Switch 2. It restricts games by age rating, sets a daily play-time limit that can put the console to sleep when time is up, and limits the messages and images exchanged with other players. Blocking screenshot posts to social media is a Switch-only setting: Switch 2 has no direct social posting. On Switch 2, GameChat is limited to people a parent has approved. Nintendo’s parental controls page covers both consoles, and a case or screen protector beats a third-party “safety” gadget.

Be realistic. Controls prevent casual accidents and set a clear boundary, but a determined teenager with a spare account can work around most of them, which is why the conversation matters more than the PIN.

Buying a game as a gift: the four checks

  1. Confirm the console precisely. “An Xbox” is not enough: Xbox Series S has no disc drive, and a Switch 2 game card will not run on an original Switch.
  2. Read the descriptors, not just the number. A PEGI 12 with a gambling icon may concern you more than a PEGI 16 flagged only for language.
  3. Check the account’s age level too. If the child’s account sits below the game’s rating, the game will not start until a parent approves it.
  4. Keep it sealed if you are unsure. A sealed game can go back within the 14-day cancellation window; once the shrink wrap is off, a change-of-mind return can legitimately be refused. Our delivery and returns page has the detail.

Two things do most of the work: set the family account up before the present is wrapped, and read the icons rather than the number. Stuck between two titles? Ask us — we would rather help you pick the right one than process a return.

Frequently asked questions

Is it illegal to buy a PEGI 18 game for my child?

No. The law restricts the sale, not the gift. In the UK it is an offence for a retailer to supply a PEGI 12, 16 or 18 game to anyone under that age, which is why a checkout may ask you to confirm your own age. What happens after that is a parenting decision, not a legal one. Read the content descriptors before you make it.

Do PEGI ratings tell me how difficult a game is?

No. PEGI rates content, not difficulty. A PEGI 3 puzzle game can be far harder than a PEGI 12 adventure, and plenty of PEGI 7 titles expect reading and reflexes a five-year-old will not have yet. If difficulty is your real question, watch a few minutes of gameplay footage and check whether the game has assist options.

Can I return a game if the rating turns out to be wrong for my child?

Only while it is sealed. Boxed games carry the usual 14-day cancellation right under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, but once the shrink wrap is off a change-of-mind return can be refused. Faulty discs are a separate matter, covered by the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Our returns page explains both.

How do I stop my child spending money inside a game?

Use the console’s family controls rather than trusting the game to behave. PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo all let you set a spending limit or require a parent’s approval before a purchase completes. You do not need a card saved on the child’s account either — topping up a wallet with a gift card caps the damage by design.

Prices, specifications and manufacturer support can change. Check the product listing and the manufacturer's own guidance before you buy, and ask our team if you're unsure.