The European Commission will present a bill on September 17 that would prevent children under 15 from creating accounts on "supervised" online games and platforms without parental or guardian involvement, according to Politico.

Titled the EU Kids Act, the draft legislation introduces multi-level barriers for young internet users across the European Union, with social networks as the primary target. Video services, AI assistants, and online games are also explicitly in scope. The full text has not been published, but Politico's reporting outlines an age-gated account creation model with tiered permissions managed by an adult.

What does the bill cover?

The proposed legislation categorizes online platforms by risk level, with stricter obligations applied to services deemed to pose higher exposure to minors. The categories named in the draft include:

• Social networks (primary target)
• Video services
• AI assistants
• Online games classified as "supervised"

Children aged 15 and under would not open accounts on these platforms on their own. Parents or guardians would handle registration, and parental controls would limit in-platform activities afterward. The bill does not specify the full scope of those activity limits, but the framework implies permissions tied to the supervising adult's account.

What changes for studios and publishers?

The practical impact on European game companies depends on how the Commission defines "supervised" games and how parental control requirements get enforced. Several operational questions remain open:

• Whether the rules apply at the game level or the storefront level (App Store, Google Play, Steam, console stores)
• Which genres or monetization mechanics would trigger "supervised" classification
• Whether existing PEGI ratings map to the new system
• The technical standard for parental account linkage and age verification

Studios operating free-to-play titles with younger demographics face the most immediate compliance questions, particularly around user acquisition funnels that assume direct minor sign-up. Publishers reliant on cross-platform progression could see friction if verification standards diverge between storefronts and first-party logins.

How does this compare to Australia?

Australia has already moved in a similar direction, introducing restrictions on minors' access to social networks and online games earlier this year. The Australian framework has surfaced in Brussels policy discussions as a reference point, though the EU approach would apply uniformly across all 27 member states rather than at the national level.

The European scope also extends beyond social media. By including AI assistants and online games alongside video services, the bill treats interactive entertainment as part of a coherent policy category, not a peripheral concern. That framing positions the EU Kids Act as a potential precedent for further digital protections targeting minors.

What happens next?

The September 17 presentation opens a lengthy approval process. The bill will need to clear the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union before becoming law. Game publishers operating in the EU should treat the September 17 draft as the first public baseline, not the final rule. Watch the Commission's definition of "supervised" games, the Parliament's rapporteur assignment, and any amendment language on age verification mechanics, as those three variables will determine how much the EU Kids Act changes day-to-day game operations across the bloc.