GoKawiilValve rolls out bank-card age checks on Steam for Australian users
Starting September 9, Australian law requires online game and app storefronts to verify that buyers are over 18. Steam is meeting this requirement by asking users to link a bank card rather than submit government ID or biometric data, mirroring the approach it already uses in the UK. Credit cards work reliably since Australian issuers only give them to adults, but debit cards—often held by minors—only pass verification under narrower conditions tied to specific bank and network flags.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Card-based verification protects users from exposing sensitive ID documents or biometric data, which are far riskier to leak than a replaceable bank card. But the inconsistent debit card support is locking out or frustrating legitimate adult players who lack credit cards, pushing some to demand more invasive alternatives like the ID or biometric checks used by Xbox and PlayStation. This tension shows how age-verification laws are forcing platforms to trade privacy protections against usability as more countries adopt similar rules.
- Australia's new law mandates age verification for online game/app purchases starting September 9.
- Steam uses bank card checks instead of ID or biometrics, but debit cards work inconsistently unlike credit cards.
- Frustrated users are pushing for alternative verification methods similar to those used by Xbox and PlayStation.
Source: tomshardware.com — Bruno Ferreira, 2026-09-10
Published there as: “Steam enforces Australian age verification via credit cards — debit card glitches and low credit adoption alienate core gamers, privacy-first mindset leads to dearth of options that may hinder consumers”
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