Your ID or a credit card will work, but aren't required.
Xbox users in the UK are being encouraged to verify their age via government-issued ID, credit card, mobile provider, or age estimation, all in compliance with the new UK Online Safety Act.
Players aged 18 or older are being encouraged to verify their age now, ahead of a requirement to do so early in 2026. Those who have identified that they’re of age will receive notifications encouraging them to verify that fact. According to Xbox Wire, players can also head to this website on their phone or computer to begin the process.
“As this age verification process rolls out across the UK, we’ll continue to evaluate how we can keep players around the world safe and learn from the UK process,” Xbox vice president of gaming trust and safety, Kim Kunes, wrote.
Kunes also added that Xbox expects “to roll out age verification processes to more regions in the future”. Here in Australia, new laws targeted at social media platforms come into place on 10 December requiring those companies take “reasonable steps” to block those aged under 16.
At present, Australia’s social media ban does not appear to target gaming platforms, though the government has yet to specifically detail which companies will be included.
“There is no one-size-fits-all solution to player safety, so these methods may look different across regions and experiences,” Kunes continued. “We’ll work with local communities, publishing partners and regulators to determine the right approach that both respects player privacy and doesn’t take away from the Xbox gameplay experience. We’ll continue to communicate the changes we’re making to our practices and the data we collect so we can better protect players on our platform.”
Kunes continued on to state that when the Online Safety Act goes into full gear, those who haven’t verified their age will be limited.
“However, starting early next year, their use of social features on Xbox will become limited to friends only until they complete the age verification process,” Kunes said.
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