Steam has introduced a new requirement for Australian users, who must now have a genuine credit card on file before they can purchase games rated R18+ on the platform. According to reports, a standard bank debit card is not sufficient to meet this requirement, meaning some players may be unable to buy adult-rated titles even if they have a valid payment method linked to their account. The move appears to be part of Valve's efforts to strengthen age-verification and compliance measures around restricted content in Australia, where R18+ classification carries strict legal requirements.

The change affects how Australian Steam users access the platform's most mature content, with credit cards apparently being used as a proxy for age verification since obtaining one typically requires being an adult. This has caused frustration among some users who rely on debit cards or other payment methods and may now find themselves locked out of purchasing certain games despite being of legal age. The specifics of how Valve is implementing and enforcing this policy, and whether alternative verification methods will be introduced, remain unclear from the available reporting.