US Bill Wants To Legalise Video Game Ratings

Video game ratings have entered the US House of Representatives.

According to Eurogamer, a new bill has been introduced to the House – seeking to make ESRB ratings legally binding.

The bill – H.R. 287 – aims to “require ratings label on video games and to prohibit the sales and rentals of adult-rated video games to minors.”

Currently, the ESRB ratings are voluntary. But, almost every video game is submitted to the ESRB to receive a rating. Many stores and retailers refuse to sell titles that don’t have an ESRB rating. But, this bill will make this rating obligatory and will be enforced in the same way that cigarettes and alcohol cannot be sold to underage children.

This is following US President Barack Obama’s call for research and an investigation into the effects of violent video games on children, as his administration battle to handle the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary school shootings.

It’s not the first time that this type of bill has surfaced, though. A similar bill was introduced in 2011 when California tried to regulate the selling or renting of adult-rated video games to children. But, the US Supreme Court found the bill unconstitutional.