Balatro Creator Fires Back at YouTube Age Restricting Videos of the Game

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Balatro has faced restrictions yet again due to its connection with games of chance. As reported by a content creator, YouTube is now applying age limitations on Balatro videos. In response, the game’s lone developer, LocalThunk, has spoken out against the Google-controlled platform.

On previous occasions, situations similar to this one have arisen. Back in February, it was LocalThunk who managed to win an appeal with PEGI, successfully reducing the age rating of Balatro from 18 to 12.

Dejá vu

On social media, LocalThunk responded to YouTube’s decision to impose age restrictions on Balatro videos. Specifically, they spoke out against this action taken by YouTube.

Apparently Balatro videos are being rated 18+ on YouTube now for gambling

It’s beneficial that we’re shielding children from understanding poker hands like four of a kind, and encouraging them to watch channel opening videos instead.

The comments came after this video was posted online by ‘Balatro University’:

YouTube has made an update to its site’s terms and conditions, emphasizing that depictions or promotions of online casinos or related apps are now only allowed for users above a certain age.

Balatro primarily revolves around creating card decks and amassing chips to outdo your competitors, with the process of pursuing poker hands serving as the closest approximation to gambling. However, it shares a faint resemblance, an association that even PEGI found negligible.

It appears that LocalThunk might have to engage in another battle, targeting Google and YouTube this time, to possibly resolve this matter. There’s a chance that an AI system was used to monitor the platform and apply age restrictions to content fitting a specific profile, resulting in Balatro being flagged by the algorithm.

Have you played Balatro yet? Let me know what you think about the game in the comments.

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2025-04-06 11:18