Apple announces upcoming changes to the age ratings for the App Store in Australia and France. These changes comply with local regulations and aim to enhance safety for users, especially children.
These new regional ratings will be displayed alongside Apple's global age ratings without requiring any action from developers.
Currently, the App Store's age rating system categorizes apps with "infrequent or mild simulated gambling" as 12+, while apps containing gambling or "frequent or intense simulated gambling" are categorized as 17+.
However, in Australia, the new development will grant any form of simulated gambling app not only the Apple global age rating but also an R18+ regional age rating.
In France, apps with a global age rating of 17+ by Apple will also display an 18+ regional age rating on the App Store.
This change follows the introduction of new guidelines for video games containing gambling content in Australia, effective from September 22, 2024.
The new regulations by the Australian government are in response to concerns about the potential link between gambling-like mechanisms in video games and problem gambling, particularly among younger users.
Games offering paid loot boxes or chance-based in-game purchases will now receive a minimum M (Mature) classification, not recommended for players under 15. Games with simulated gambling features will be classified as R 18+ and restricted to adult purchase only.
