Some Australian players may face an additional barrier before accessing Grand Theft Auto VI: under the country’s new rules, online games restricted to adults can no longer rely on users simply clicking a button to claim they are over 18. Rockstar could face penalties of up to AU$49.5 million if it failed to comply with an official enforcement direction. Much remains uncertain, however, because the game has not yet received an Australian classification and Rockstar has revealed little about its future online component.

Australia introduced a new framework for online age assurance in 2026. Under the Age-Restricted Material Codes, providers of online games classified R18+ by the Australian Classification Board must use an appropriate method to establish that users are adults. The rules could become particularly relevant to Grand Theft Auto VI, as the previous installment received an R18+ rating in the country and the new game is unlikely to be less mature in its depiction of violence or other adult material.

That does not automatically mean every Australian player will be forced to upload a passport, identity card, or driver’s licence. According to the country’s eSafety Commissioner, service providers can choose from several suitable and proportionate age-assurance methods, and the codes do not mandate verification through government-issued identification. The intention is to prevent children from gaining access to adult online content merely by ticking a box claiming they are over 18.

The Rules Apply to Online Games

The single-player story of Grand Theft Auto VI may therefore not fall under the requirement at all. Australia’s rules specifically cover online games carrying an R18+ classification, meaning much will depend on how Rockstar releases and operates the next GTA’s multiplayer experience. Should the online component arrive as a separate product, age assurance might apply only to that service. Rockstar has yet to explain how the multiplayer side will be structured or what verification system it could use for Australian players.

The widely reported AU$49.5 million figure should not be interpreted as an automatic fine for every underage player who manages to gain access. Official eSafety information states that a penalty of up to that amount can follow each breach of a formal direction to comply with an industry code. The regulator focuses on systemic failures by service providers rather than treating every individual case of a minor bypassing an age check as a separate multimillion-dollar offence.

Compliance could nevertheless become a major responsibility for Rockstar if the online portion of Grand Theft Auto VI receives an R18+ rating. The game is expected to become one of the largest entertainment launches ever, making its handling of age assurance and user privacy particularly visible to Australian regulators. Rockstar will therefore need more than a basic technical barrier: the system must meet legal requirements, protect personal information, and avoid placing unnecessary obstacles in front of adult players who are legally entitled to access the game.

Source: 3DJuegos, eSafety Commissioner, GamesRadar+