(Washington, DC) — The DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs’ Office of Consumer Protection urges District parents and other consumers to check the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating before purchasing computer or video games as gifts this holiday season.

More than 50 percent of computer and video games are sold during the holiday shopping season, so it is important  shoppers make sure the games they give to young people are age and content-appropriate. 

“Though the holiday season is one of the busiest times of year for us all, it’s also perhaps the most important time of the year for consumers to stop and make sure they know what they're buying for their loved ones,” said DCRA Director Linda K. Argo. “The ESRB rating system provides parents and others with both age and content information about games, which can be an informative tool when purchasing games for family and friends.”

The ESRB ratings are designed to provide information about computer and video game content, so consumers can make informed purchase decisions. ESRB ratings have two parts: rating symbols suggest age appropriateness for the game, and content descriptors indicate elements in a game that may have triggered a particular rating and may be of concern.

“As a parent, I know how important and challenging it is to manage the media that our children consume.  Luckily, video games are actually among the simplest to control,” said Patricia Vance, president of the ESRB. “I strongly encourage parents to check both the ratings and content descriptors on every game box, so they can be sure that the games they purchase as gifts this holiday season are appropriate for their children."

More than 40 percent of Americans expect to purchase a computer or video game this year and a majority of those games are purchased during the holiday shopping season, according to Michael D. Gallagher, CEO of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the trade association representing US computer and video game publishers.

“We urge parents to use the ESRB ratings system to ensure the games they purchase for their children are appropriate,” Gallagher said.

The Entertainment Software Association is the US association dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of companies publishing interactive games for video game consoles, handheld devices, personal computers, and the Internet. For more information, please visit theESA.com.

The ESRB is a non-profit, self-regulatory body established in 1994 by the ESA. ESRB independently applies and enforces ratings, advertising guidelines, and online privacy principles adopted by the industry.  For more information, please visit esrb.org.

For more information on video game ratings and other laws protecting the residents, businesses and visitors in the District of Columbia, contact the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs’ Office of Consumer Protection at (202) 442-4400.