Digital Services Act (EU)

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The DSA doesn't matter for games - yet

The DSA is EU legislation to protect EU users.

As of today, it only impacts extremely large platforms, search services, and services with a content recommender system (social media).

It does not impact games, so we will not cover it in detail.

With that said, there is every possibility that the DSA adds user-to-user internet services into its scope in a similar way to the Online Safety Act. If this was to happen, all games globally would have to abide by the DSA too for all EU users.

The really short version is:

• The Online Safety Act applies to all user-to-user internet services or search services which have links to the United Kingdom (we cover this here: What is the Online Safety Act?).

  Games are 100% in scope and have to be compliant.

• The DSA applies to large services, search services, and services with a content recommender system, and applies to all companies globally with users in the EU.

  Games are out of scope of the DSA.

BUT - if the DSA added user-to-user internet services into scope (like the OSA has), that would mean all companies globally would have to use highly effective age assurance on all EU consumers.