Steam Users in the UK Need a Credit Card for Access to "Adult Content" Games

Valve has begun to comply with the Online Safety Act in the United Kingdom by implementing mandatory age verification for access to adult content game pages on Steam. Now, users from the United Kingdom must confirm their age using a credit card. Without a valid credit card stored in their Steam account, they will not be able to access the communities of such games.

While other platforms like Reddit, Bluesky, and Discord opt for age verification through selfies, Valve has chosen credit card verification. The company claims that this method ensures a high level of privacy and makes it difficult for multiple individuals to share a single account to bypass age verification.

The United Kingdom requires that one must be over 18 to obtain a credit card, thus shifting the responsibility for age verification to banks rather than Valve. If a user does not have a credit card, access to games or adult-themed content on Steam will be blocked, as there are currently no alternative methods for age verification.

The introduction of this requirement was a response to attempts to bypass the new rules, particularly through the use of VPNs. In the UK, it was temporarily possible to circumvent age verification on Discord and Reddit using the photo mode of Death Stranding. However, facial recognition tools have been updated to prevent this circumvention.

Additionally, Microsoft has begun implementing voluntary age verification on Xbox in the United Kingdom. Starting in early 2026, this verification will become mandatory for accessing various Xbox services, which will be regulated by new provisions of the online safety law.