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Freedom251 › Blog › Australian game ratings

How to check a game’s age rating in Australia before buying it

By Freedom251 Team · · 10 min read

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Search the game’s exact title in the Australian Classification Board’s National Classification Database (NCD). Open the matching decision, note the Australian category, and read the consumer advice beside it. Then compare that result with the label shown by the retailer, digital storefront or packaging. The NCD is the authoritative check; a store label is a useful second confirmation.

This is an Australian system, so an ESRB or PEGI badge does not answer the Australian question. If advertising says CTC (Check the Classification), the game has not been classified yet and you should check again closer to release.

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The fastest reliable way to check a game

  1. Identify the exact release. Write down the full title, subtitle, edition and, where relevant, the expansion or remastered version. Similar titles can have separate records.
  2. Open the National Classification Database. Search the Australian Classification Board’s database using the exact title. Try the subtitle and alternate punctuation if the first search does not find it.
  3. Open the decision, not just the search result. Read the category and the “Why this classification?” information. The decision page provides the reasoning and the consumer advice that a symbol alone cannot show.
  4. Read every item of consumer advice. Look for themes, violence, coarse language, drug use, nudity, sex, online interactivity, in-game purchases, chance-based purchases and simulated gambling.
  5. Cross-check the sale listing. Australian Classification says ratings and advice should appear on online gaming storefronts, digital downloads and computer-game packaging. If the retailer’s label differs from the NCD, rely on the NCD and ask the seller or distributor which version is being sold.

Do this before downloading, entering payment details or handing the controller to a child. It separates three decisions that are often confused: whether a game is legally restricted, whether its content suits a particular child, and whether its payment model fits your family’s rules.

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What each Australian category means

The category answers the legal and broad-impact question. It does not replace your judgment about an individual child.

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Category What it indicates Access rule in Australia
G — General Very mild impact. Some scenes may still scare very young children. Not legally restricted.
PG — Parental Guidance Mild impact. Material may confuse or upset some children. Not legally restricted; parental guidance is recommended.
M — Mature Moderate impact. The content is not recommended for people under 15. Not legally restricted. A child under 15 may legally access it, although the advisory warning remains important.
MA 15+ — Mature Accompanied Strong impact material intended for people aged 15 and over. Legally restricted. A person under 15 may view or play it only under the parent or adult-guardian accompaniment exception described by Australian Classification.
R 18+ — Restricted High-impact material intended for adults. Legally restricted to adults. Providing access to an under-18 is illegal.

The critical distinction is between M and the restricted categories. M means “not recommended under 15,” not “prohibited under 15.” MA 15+ and R 18+ are legal access restrictions. For R 18+, an adult cannot simply decide that a younger player is mature enough; access must not be provided to anyone under 18.

Why consumer advice matters more than the symbol alone

A category compresses a range of content into one broad level. Consumer advice identifies the impactful or frequent material that led to the decision. Australian Classification’s core classifiable elements are themes, violence, coarse language, drug use, nudity and sex. Computer-game advice can also identify online interactivity, ordinary in-game purchases, chance-based in-game purchases and simulated gambling.

Use the advice for a child-specific decision

Ask two separate questions. First: Is this legally restricted for the player’s age? The category and access rule answer that. Second: Does the described content suit this particular child? The advice helps you answer that, but your family’s sensitivities and the child’s experience still matter.

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For example, two M-rated games can feel very different. One may be marked for moderate violence and coarse language; another may contain themes involving self-harm, drug use or sexual references that your family considers unsuitable. The M symbol does not tell you which of those reasons applies. Read the advice on the NCD decision page and compare it with the child’s age, temperament and previous exposure.

Online interactivity is a separate signal

Advice about online interactivity warns that players may communicate or interact with other people, or encounter user-generated material. It is not a guarantee that a service is moderated in a particular way, nor does it tell you how much time or money a child will spend. Treat it as a prompt to check the game’s chat, friend, voice and privacy settings before play.

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Gambling-like content: the rules in force since 22 September 2024

Australian classification rules changed on 22 September 2024 for gambling-like features in computer games on consoles, computers, phones and tablets.

  • Chance-based in-game purchases, such as paid loot boxes, carry a minimum classification of M.
  • Simulated gambling, such as casino-style play, carries a minimum classification of R 18+.
  • Advice may distinguish Chance-based in-game purchases, High-impact simulated gambling and Gambling themes. A gambling theme does not automatically meet the threshold for simulated gambling.

Australian Classification states: “Computer games containing simulated gambling have a minimum classification of R 18+.” The classification is about the feature in the game; it does not tell you the total amount a player might spend.

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When a game has paid random rewards, check both the category and the wording of the advice. A minimum M does not make the spending feature harmless for a child, and it does not disclose odds, limits, refund rules or the possibility of repeated purchases. Those are separate consumer and family-management questions.

What CTC means on a trailer or store page

CTC means “Check the Classification.” It indicates that the game is unclassified at that advertising stage. It is not a temporary age rating, and it is not permission to assume that the eventual category will be G, PG or M.

Australian Classification recommends checking again nearer the release date, when the final decision should appear on advertising and sales materials. If you are deciding whether to preorder for a child, treat CTC as an unresolved classification and wait for the NCD record or ask the seller when the Australian decision is expected.

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If the title does not appear in the database

Try the exact title and edition

Search the complete title, including a subtitle, punctuation and series number. Check whether you are looking for a base game, expansion, remaster or bundle. A small wording difference can hide the relevant record.

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Ask which Australian version is being sold

If the NCD still has no match, contact the retailer or distributor and ask for the Australian classification of the specific release. Industry guidance allows a classification decision to proceed through an application, an approved classification tool or an accredited classifier. That is a route for obtaining a decision; it is not a reason for a buyer to invent or assume an age rating.

Do not treat silence as “unrated but suitable”

An absent record may mean the title is newly announced, the Australian submission is pending, the name differs, or the product is not the same version you found elsewhere. Until the Australian decision is clear, do not use a foreign badge or a retailer’s unsupported age number as a substitute.

Different formats, editions and foreign badges

An Australian classification generally applies across the game’s formats when the content is identical, or when differences are exempt from classification. If a release has materially changed content, verify that particular release rather than assuming an older decision carries over.

A game sold on a disc, as a console download and through a PC storefront can therefore share a decision when the content is the same. A substantially altered edition, an expansion sold separately or a version with different gambling or sexual content may require its own check.

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ESRB and PEGI numbers describe other territories’ systems. They can be useful information for those territories, but they are not Australian classifications. Look for the Australian title record and the Australian advice on the local listing or packaging.

Digital storefronts, mobile games and IARC labels

Australian Classification says ratings and consumer advice should appear on streaming services, online gaming storefronts, digital downloads and physical computer-game packaging. The International Age Rating Coalition (IARC) is used for online and mobile games; its Australian definitions map to categories such as M, MA 15+ and R 18+.

For a particular game, the NCD title record remains the strongest verification when it is available. Use the storefront label as a cross-check, especially when a game is updated, bundled or offered in several editions. If the two displays disagree, save a screenshot of the listing, check the NCD decision date and ask the seller which product identifier is attached to the sale.

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Rating, suitability and spending are three different checks

A classification does not tell you the complete price or the full set of monetisation terms. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says online and mobile games are covered by Australian Consumer Law. Developers and retailers must not mislead consumers about descriptions, in-game features, pricing or subscriptions.

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In practical terms, “free to download” need not mean free to play. Before purchase or installation, inspect:

  • the one-time purchase price and whether a subscription is required;
  • optional items, season passes, expansions and recurring charges;
  • in-game currency, spending limits, refund terms and parental controls;
  • chance-based purchases such as loot boxes;
  • what personal information the game collects and how it is used.

The ACCC advises consumers to watch for hidden costs and loot boxes and to use device payment restrictions where appropriate. It does not issue game age classifications; use Australian Classification for the category and advice, and the ACCC’s consumer guidance for pricing and contract concerns.

Age assurance for R 18+ online games

The eSafety Commissioner’s FAQ, accessed on 13 October 2026, says users will have to complete some form of age assurance to access online games classified R 18+ by the Australian Classification Board. The same guidance says other games do not require those age checks under that guidance.

Do not turn that statement into a universal promise about every platform’s present checkout flow. Age-assurance rules, technical methods and staged implementation dates can change. Check the current platform instructions when buying an R 18+ online game, and remember that an age check does not change the underlying legal restriction: R 18+ content must not be provided to anyone under 18.

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A practical suitability check for a 12-year-old

Suppose you are considering a game for a 12-year-old. Start with the legal category, then work through the advice and the commercial features.

  1. Reject legally restricted options. MA 15+ requires the relevant parent-or-adult-guardian accompaniment exception for a person under 15; R 18+ cannot be provided to a 12-year-old.
  2. Evaluate M on its actual advice. M is advisory rather than legally restricted, but it is specifically not recommended for under-15s. Read the reasons for the decision instead of treating every M title as equivalent.
  3. Check sensitive elements. Note violence, themes, language, drug use, nudity and sex, then decide whether any of those are unsuitable for this child.
  4. Check online contact. If online interactivity is listed, review voice chat, text chat, friend requests, reporting and privacy controls.
  5. Check spending mechanics. Look for ordinary purchases, chance-based purchases and simulated gambling. Set device-level purchase restrictions and agree who controls the account.
  6. Confirm the exact product. Make sure the NCD record and the store listing describe the same edition, platform and Australian release.

This process avoids a common mistake: treating “legally accessible” as synonymous with “appropriate for this child.” The category answers the first question; advice and family judgment answer the second.

How to compare two games before buying

When two games are candidates, record the same facts for each rather than comparing symbols in isolation.

Comparison point What to record Why it matters
Australian category G, PG, M, MA 15+ or R 18+ Shows whether access is advisory or legally restricted.
Consumer advice Specific themes, violence, language, drug use, nudity, sex and other listed elements Reveals what may affect this particular child.
Online interactivity Whether the advice flags online interaction Prompts checks of chat, privacy and supervision settings.
Monetisation Purchases, subscriptions, chance-based purchases and simulated gambling Separates content suitability from financial and gambling-like risks.
Status Final NCD decision or CTC Shows whether the Australian rating is established or still pending.
Total terms Up-front price, recurring charges, expansions and personal-data practices A classification does not disclose the complete cost or contract.

A simple written comparison is useful for family discussions: one game may have a lower category but more aggressive spending prompts, while another may have a higher category because of a single content element that your family considers less concerning. The table keeps those trade-offs visible without treating one number as a complete safety score.

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Common mistakes and how to correct them

  • Using only the retailer’s age badge. Recheck the exact title in the NCD; the official decision is the stronger source.
  • Confusing M with MA 15+. M is advisory and not legally restricted; MA 15+ is legally restricted, subject to the accompaniment exception.
  • Reading only the symbol. Open the decision and read the consumer advice, including purchase and online-interactivity warnings.
  • Assuming CTC means a low rating. CTC means unclassified. Check later.
  • Applying an old decision to a changed edition. Verify a remaster, expansion or materially altered release.
  • Using an ESRB or PEGI number in Australia. Foreign systems do not replace the Australian record.
  • Assuming “free” means no cost. Inspect subscriptions, in-game purchases, loot boxes, data practices and payment controls.
  • Assuming an age check solves every issue. Age assurance addresses access; it does not evaluate suitability, spending or privacy.

A printable pre-purchase checklist

  • Exact title, subtitle and edition identified.
  • Australian NCD record found and opened.
  • Category recorded.
  • Consumer advice read in full.
  • Online interactivity noted.
  • In-game purchases, chance-based purchases and simulated gambling checked.
  • Storefront or packaging label compared with the NCD.
  • CTC status checked if the game is unreleased.
  • Foreign rating ignored as a substitute for the Australian decision.
  • Price, subscriptions, expansions and data terms reviewed separately.
  • Device payment controls and family rules set before play.

For a final confirmation, search the title again immediately before buying if the game has been updated or released after a CTC listing. Classification is the legal and content reference; the retailer’s terms and your family’s judgment determine whether the purchase is right for you.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Australian game ratingsconsumer adviceNational Classification Databaseparental guidancevideo game age restrictions

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