UK Steam Users Must Verify Age to Access Mature Content

As of August 29, 2025, Steam users in the UK are required to verify their age to access mature content on the platform, in line with the UK Online Safety Act. This age verification process involves users logging into their Steam account and adding a valid credit card to their account, thereby opting-in to access Steam store pages for mature content games and their associated community hubs. Once the verification process is successful, users can choose to add previously unavailable mature content types on the Store Preferences page. The Steam account is considered 'age verified' as long as the credit card is stored on it. This move is in response to the UK Online Safety Act, which came into effect on July 25, 2025, and mandates that services with users in the UK must be designed with safety in mind, providing a higher standard of protection for children than adults, along with transparency and accountability. Video game companies, including Valve, are legally obligated to comply with these new laws. Similarly, Microsoft has also begun rolling out age verification to UK Xbox users, with plans to make it mandatory for adult accounts to access the platform's full range of social features, including voice chat and messaging, starting early 2026.