Steam and Xbox users in the UK will soon find mature-rated games and services locked behind stricter age gates. Both platforms have begun implementing new verification measures in line with the UK’s Online Safety Act, marking a significant change in how British players access adult-oriented content.
Valve confirmed this week that UK Steam accounts must now store a valid credit card to access “mature content” games or their related community hubs. This includes titles with adult themes and their associated forums. Without a credit card on file, those pages remain inaccessible. “Among all age assurance mechanisms reviewed by Valve, this process preserves the maximum degree of user privacy,” the company explained in a support article. “Having the credit card stored as a payment method acts as an additional deterrent against circumventing age verification by sharing a single Steam user account among multiple persons.”
In the UK, credit cards are legally restricted to those 18 and older, effectively passing responsibility for age checks to banks rather than Valve itself. “The data processed in the verification process is identical to that of the millions of other Steam users who make purchases or store their payment details for convenience,” Valve added. “The verification process therefore provides no information about a user’s content preferences to payment providers or other third parties.”
The move follows weeks of scrutiny around the Online Safety Act’s age-gating methods, which critics say are too easily bypassed with VPNs and other workarounds. Earlier this year, players discovered loopholes in platforms like Bluesky, Discord, and Reddit, where photo-based age checks could be tricked by creative tools, such as Death Stranding’s photo mode. Although those flaws have since been patched, the episode highlighted the fragility of some age-assurance systems. By tying access directly to bank-issued cards, Valve is betting on a system that can’t be spoofed by location-masking or trick photography.
For Steam players, the setup is straightforward but not optional: log into a Steam account, add a credit card through the account details page, and complete the bank’s security challenge (such as an OTP or app approval). Once the £0 authorisation check clears, users can unlock previously restricted store pages through their content preferences. If a card fails, Valve directs users back to their issuing bank rather than handling disputes itself.
Microsoft is following suit, introducing optional age verification for UK Xbox accounts ahead of a full rollout. These checks are expected to become mandatory by early 2026, when additional provisions of the Online Safety Act take effect. “As part of our compliance program for the UK Online Safety Act and our ongoing investments in tools and technologies that help ensure age-appropriate experiences, we’re introducing age verification for Microsoft accounts in the UK,” the company told Xbox users in a recent email. “It helps ensure that we can continue to provide players on our platform with age-appropriate experiences and keep the Xbox community safe.”
The Online Safety Act, which came into force last year, has faced significant backlash from both privacy advocates and players who argue it places undue burdens on users while doing little to address harmful online behaviour. A petition calling for its repeal has surpassed 531,000 signatures, but the UK government has stated it has “no plans to repeal the Online Safety Act, and is working closely with Ofcom to implement the Act as quickly and effectively as possible.”
For players, the changes mean that mature-rated content on Steam and Xbox is no longer a simple click away. Instead, access now comes down to whether you have a bank-issued card—and whether you’re willing to store it on your gaming account. For more details, visit the official Steam FAQs.
What do you think about Steam and Xbox’s new age gates—smart privacy measure or unnecessary hurdle? Share your thoughts with us on X (@indie_pendent), and head to The Indiependent for more gaming news updates.
Words by: Khushboo Malhotra
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