YouTube has launched a platform-wide review to investigate its age restriction policies, particularly concerning gameplay videos of the game Balatro. These videos were wrongly marked as 18+, causing significant distress among creators.

“Videos featuring Balatro gameplay should not be age-restricted.”

This statement surfaced after concerns were raised by LocalThunk, the game’s creator, who highlighted the inaccuracy in the age rating. He humorously remarked:

“Good thing we are protecting children from knowing what a 4 of a kind is and letting them watch CS case opening videos instead.”

The situation arose over the weekend when LocalThunk expressed frustration on social media regarding the unjust classification of his videos. In a timely response, YouTube’s Team reassured him that the error was recognized and measures were being enforced to address the age restrictions.

“TY for flagging! We’re reviewing the age restrictions on these videos and conducting a platform-wide review. Thanks for your patience as we fix!”

The platform-wide review also seeks to adjust the enforcement of sensitive content guidelines, especially concerning gameplay videos associated with gambling, as recent updates to YouTube policies may have influenced the misclassification.

Users are encouraged to report similar issues and to file appeals if they believe their content has been improperly rated.