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There's been quite a bit of fuss over the last twelve months or so about game ratings in Australia. According to the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act of 1995, computer and console games are treated very much like films. All of that rating is done by the Classification Board, in conjunction with the Australian Federal Attorney-General's office.

"Every film ... and computer game ... has to be classified before it can be made legally available to the public." - Australian Classification Board

One of the hitches in game-ratings in Australia is that there are no "R18+" or "X18+" ratings for games as there are for films. Games that would fall into these categories are refused classification. Because of this, no video games can be traded or sold in Australia that have content that is not appropriate for a 15-year-old. Without a formal classification (and compliant labeling) for a game, it is a criminal offense under Australian State and Territory laws for it to be sold, hired or demonstrated.

The problem here is that comparatively few MMOG titles sold on Australia's retail shelves ever carry a rating and labeling as the Classification Act requires. Could publishers, distributors and retailers of these unrated MMOGs suddenly wake up to find themselves in a legal hole hundreds of thousands of sales deep?

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