Can video game ratings be enforced by law?

In California, the enforcement of video game ratings is no longer solely reliant on law. In the past, California attempted to enforce game ratings through legislation, but those laws were ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2011. This ruling made it so that game ratings were no longer legally enforceable in the state. However, the ruling did not prevent game ratings from being enforced. The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), a nonprofit organization which rates video games, works with retailers to enforce game ratings. Retailers typically require proof of age before selling Mature- and Adults-Only-rated games, and retailers can be held liable for failing to enforce existing ratings. Furthermore, minors may still be legally restricted from buying or renting Mature-rated games even without the support of law. Many stores have specific policies around selling M-rated games to minors, and some parents have taken legal action against retailers for selling their children age-inappropriate video games. Overall, although video game ratings are not legally enforceable in California, the enforcement of video game ratings is still possible. Retailers and parents can both take action to enforce rating restrictions, which effectively serves the same purpose as law enforcement.

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Can video game ratings be enforced by law?

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