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Steam’s age verification in Australia now takes your account’s age into consideration
Steam has changed its Australian age verification rules, so some users can now access R18+ games without linking a credit card. The change follows criticism of the original system, which prevented people without a linked card from viewing those games.
Steam will now treat an account as age verified if it is at least nine years old and has had a consistent email address or billing information; adding a credit card remains an option. Valve says it is exploring other ways to meet Australian rules while limiting the data it collects and stores. Other platforms use options including identity or face scans, or email account details.
In short
- Steam has added an account age option for Australian users.
- Eligible accounts must be at least nine years old.
- Valve says it is considering further verification methods.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Using a long-standing account and consistent contact or billing details may offer a less intrusive way to meet age rules, while restoring access for adults who do not have a credit card linked to Steam. It also reflects a privacy-minded approach: platforms can seek to restrict children’s access without collecting identity documents or biometric data from every user.
The case against
An account’s age and stable details are only indirect evidence of a user’s age, so this approach may be less reliable at keeping under-18s from R18+ games. Given Australia’s age rules, critics could reasonably argue that stronger checks are needed, even if those checks must be designed carefully to limit privacy and data-security risks.
Explained simply
Steam is a digital shop and community platform run by Valve, where people buy and play computer games. In Australia, games rated R18+ are intended for adults, so platforms need a way to check that users meet the age limit.
Age checks can rely on different kinds of information, such as payment details or a user’s account history. How a check is designed matters because it affects both access to age-restricted games and what personal information a platform collects and keeps.