We all really love YouTube automated algorithms, right? Especially when they start doing absurd things. Here is another case of such stuff. Recently, YouTube began tagging content related to the card game Balatro with the 18+ label, treating it like a gambling app.

Balatro is not a gambling game, but a solitaire roguelike with poker combination mechanics. A similar issue arose earlier with the European PEGI rating for the game, but they eventually removed the restriction. Now, YouTube's system automatically blocks videos featuring cards without considering the context.

The game's developer, LocalThunk, called the situation absurd.

Balatrothemed YouTube videos are now age restrictedImage: bsky.app

YouTube doesn’t give creators a chance to challenge decisions through direct dialogue — appeals are handled by bots. This puts independent game dev content at risk, as algorithms mistake it for casino advertising. Experts link the tightening of moderation to a wave of children's protection laws in the U.S. that require ID checks for accessing content. However, this looks like a bit too much.

Main image: steampowered.com

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