Steam is implementing age verification in the UK
The aim is to protect minors on social media platforms.
If you’re a Steam user in the UK, you’ll need to pull out your credit card for more than just buying games. Starting August 29, anyone looking to browse or buy mature-rated titles on Steam has to verify their age by adding a valid card with their name and address.
It’s not a paywall, just a compliance measure, but it does mark a significant shift in how the world’s largest PC gaming storefront handles age checks. The change is part of Steam’s efforts to comply with the UK’s Online Safety Act, which aims to protect minors on social platforms and is scheduled to take full effect in 2026.
Regulators have made it clear that platforms failing to verify ages for restricted content could face major fines, so companies are moving early. Xbox recently introduced its own age verification system in the UK, and other gaming services are rolling out similar checks to stay ahead of penalties.
Oluwaseun Bamisile
Steam’s approach is relatively straightforward, as players are used to entering card details for purchases anyway. So, requiring it for verification is more of an adjustment than an overhaul. In fact, if you already have a card on file, nothing changes.
If not, you will need to add one in your account details. Some users may also be asked for a one-time password as an extra security step. Compared to platforms like Discord, which experimented with photo ID verification that players managed to bypass in creative ways, Steam’s method seems like a practical compromise.
This update also follows Steam’s earlier move in July, when it tightened its publishing rules to match restrictions from payment processors and network providers. That decision led to some adult-oriented games being pulled from the storefront and triggered backlash from developers and players who accused Steam of over-censoring.
Whether credit card verification proves effective in the long run remains to be seen. Critics argue that access to credit cards is not exclusive to adults, and regulators may eventually demand stricter proof of age.
But for now, Steam’s system feels like a low-friction way to stay compliant without dramatically altering how players use the platform.
