Digital Economy Act 2010

40 Classification of video games etc U.K.

(1) Section 2 of the Video Recordings Act 1984 (exempted video works) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1)—

(a) after “video work” insert “ other than a video game ”,

(b) after paragraph (a) insert “ or ”, and

(c) omit paragraph (c) (and the word “or” before it).

(3) After that subsection insert—

“(1A) Subject to subsection (2) or (3) below, a video game is for the purposes of this Act an exempted work if—

(a) it is, taken as a whole, designed to inform, educate or instruct;

(b) it is, taken as a whole, concerned with sport, religion or music; or

(c) it satisfies one or more of the conditions in section 2A.”

(4) After subsection (3) insert—

“(4) The Secretary of State may by regulations amend this section—

(a) by adding or removing a case in which a video work is not an exempted work, or

(b) by amending a description of such a case.”

(5) After section 2 of that Act insert—

“2A Conditions relating to video games

(1) The conditions referred to in section 2(1A)(c) are as follows.

(2) The first condition is that the video game does not include any of the following—

(a) depictions of violence towards human or animal characters, whether or not the violence looks realistic and whether or not the violence results in obvious harm,

(b) depictions of violence towards other characters where the violence looks realistic,

(c) depictions of criminal activity that are likely, to any extent, to stimulate or encourage the commission of offences,

(d) depictions of activities involving illegal drugs or the misuse of drugs,

(e) words or images that are likely, to any extent, to stimulate or encourage the use of alcohol or tobacco,

(f) words or images that are intended to convey a sexual message,

(g) swearing, or

(h) words or images that are intended or likely, to any extent, to cause offence, whether on the grounds of race, gender, disability, religion or belief or sexual orientation or otherwise.

(3) In subsection (2) “human or animal character” means a character that is, or whose appearance is similar to that of—

(a) a human being, or

(b) an animal that exists or has existed in real life,

but does not include a simple stick character or any equally basic representation of a human being or animal.

(4) The second condition is that the designated authority, or a person nominated by the designated authority for the purposes of this section, has confirmed in writing that the video game is suitable for viewing by persons under the age of 12.

(5) The Secretary of State may by regulations amend this section—

(a) by amending the first condition, or

(b) by adding a further condition (or by amending or removing such a condition).

(6) Regulations under this section may make provision by reference to documents produced by the designated authority.”

(6) In section 3 of that Act (exempted supplies), after subsection (8) insert—

“(8A) The supply of a video recording in the form of a machine of a type designed primarily for use in an amusement arcade is an exempted supply unless the video game (or, if more than one, any of the video games) that it contains—

(a) depicts, to any significant extent, anything falling within section 2(2)(a), (b), (c) or (d) or (3), or

(b) is likely to any significant extent to stimulate or encourage anything falling within section 2(2)(a) or, in the case of anything falling within section 2(2)(b), is likely to any extent to do so.

(8B) The supply of any other video recording is an exempted supply if the recording is supplied for the purpose only of its use in connection with a supply that is an exempted supply under subsection (8A).”

(7) At the end of that section insert—

“(13) The Secretary of State may by regulations amend this section and the regulations may, in particular—

(a) add a case in which the supply of a video recording is an exempted supply for the purposes of this Act, or

(b) repeal a provision of this section.”

Commencement Information

I1 S. 40 partly in force; s. 40(1)(4)(7) in force at 8.6.2010 see s. 47(1)(3)(c)

I2 S. 40(2)(3)(5)(6) in force at 30.7.2012 by S.I. 2012/1766, art. 2(a)