YouTube began to restrict videos on Balatro: the card roguelike came under attack again

Against the backdrop of new YouTube rules that came into force on March 19 and relate to gambling content, the card game Balatro unexpectedly fell under the giveaway. Despite the fact that the game is a poker decobuilder with roguelike elements, without any real bets and microtransactions, YouTube began to mark videos on it with age restrictions of 18+.

The situation looks absurd: while videos with online casino winnings, streams with slots, and other explicit gambling content are churned out every day without the slightest restrictions, YouTube has suddenly taken up a harmless indie game with visuals inspired by a poker deck.

What is the essence of the problem?

According to the author of the YouTube channel Balatro University, about every sixth video on the game falls under the 18+ restriction, and it is almost impossible to appeal this - there is no feedback from the platform, appeals are either ignored or rejected without explanation.

YouTube's main complaint is the visual similarity to poker: the game uses a deck of 52 cards, which apparently automatically triggers moderation triggers, even though there are no in-game purchases, bets, or withdrawals in Balatro.

The community is indignant

Fans of the game and content creators have already begun to openly express their dissatisfaction. Many point to a clear double policy: videos where streamers open cases in CS or play real slots remain fully available, and Balatro videos receive an age ban for "gambling".

This looks especially comical against the background of the fact that PEGI (European rating system) also initially tried to label Balatro as "18+", but in February reconsidered the decision and admitted that the game has nothing to do with gambling.

What's next?

Until YouTube has officially commented on the situation, content creators remain in limbo. Some have even started deleting or hiding videos to avoid strikes and monetization issues.

The community demands transparency and algorithm revisions, especially as real gambling content thrives on the platform without any restrictions.