Balatro Developer Ensures Game Remains Free of Gambling Influence

In the six months since its launch, the indie game Balatro has seen incredible popularity but has also run into big problems and accusations that it encourages gambling. To tackle these worries, the game’s creator LocalThunk, has taken a bold step by banning any future attempts to turn Balatro into a gambling game in their will.

Developer Blocks Gambling Future for Balatro Amid Social Media Speculations

LocalThunk made this strong move because of ongoing rumors and jokes on social media hinting that the game was created to lure young people into gambling. To answer these claims, LocalThunk stressed how much they hate gambling saying they dislike the idea of Balatro being linked to casinos or gambling places so much that they put a rule in their will to stop it from happening.

The controversy surrounding Balatro began shortly after its launch in February. The game, which blends poker mechanics with roguelike elements, quickly gained popularity, selling over a million copies within its first month. However, its success was marred by its gambling-related imagery, which led to an abrupt change in its age rating from 3+ to 18+ in March. This shift resulted in the game’s temporary removal from several digital storefronts, including the Nintendo Switch store.

Balatro Publisher Fights Age Rating Change, Affirms Game Not Gambling-Related

Despite the game’s use of poker terminology and luck-based mechanics, LocalThunk has consistently maintained that Balatro does not promote actual gambling. They clarified that while the game incorporates risk/reward mechanics and random number generation, these elements are fundamental to the genre and do not equate to gambling. 

LocalThunk, who does not condone gambling, reiterated this stance in a March statement, emphasizing that the game does not involve real-world gambling or even microtransactions.

To further alleviate concerns, LocalThunk recently teased an upcoming update for Balatro. The teaser, which features three cards poised to be flipped, has sparked speculation among fans about possible new features, such as a mobile version or additional content like new Joker cards.

Back in March, Playstack Games stood up for its hit game Balatro, after it got pulled from multiple online stores due to the change in age rating. The publisher says the ban came from a mix-up by the rating board, which thought the game had a lot of gambling pictures. Playstack told fans not to worry saying they are trying to fix the problem and get the game back on the shelves it was taken off from.