YouTube Continues to Wrongly Flag Balatro Videos as 18+ Content: What’s Going On?

YouTube’s Updated Policies and Unexpected Consequences

As of March 19, YouTube implemented new policies: content that showcases or promotes online casinos and gambling can now receive an 18+ age restriction. However, as a result of these changes, even creators not directly involved with gambling are being affected.

What Is Balatro and Why Is It Mistaken for a Casino Game?

Balatro is a roguelike deckbuilder inspired by poker, but it has nothing to do with real gambling.
The game features no real-money betting, no in-game purchases, and no casino elements whatsoever. Nevertheless, its visual style — a standard 52-card deck and poker hand combinations — has confused YouTube’s algorithms.

Why Is YouTube Flagging Balatro Videos as 18+?

• YouTube’s automated moderation system reacts to standard poker cards and visual design associated with casinos.
• Roughly one out of every six videos on the Balatro University channel gets age-restricted.
• Appeals are handled without explanation and with no way to communicate with a human moderator.

The game’s creator, LocalThunk, has faced similar misclassifications before. Previously, the European rating board PEGI tried to give the game an 18+ rating but later reversed its decision, acknowledging that
Balatro is not gambling-related.

YouTube’s Double Standards

The community is baffled: videos featuring CS:GO case openings — which are much closer to real gambling — remain unrestricted. In this light, YouTube’s actions seem inconsistent.

“Great that we’re protecting kids from knowing what a ‘four of a kind’ is, while letting them watch case-opening videos in CS.”

Why This Matters