The Video Standards Council
The Video Standards Council operates the Games Rating Authority, the UK's administrator of the PEGI age rating system for video games, providing ratings, parental tools, schools resources, and retail compliance support across European markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersSaint Albans, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
The Video Standards Council firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Video Standards Council
- Website
- https://videostandards.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Video Standards Council operates the Games Rating Authority, the UK's administrator of the PEGI age rating system for video games, providing ratings, parental tools, schools resources, and retail compliance support across European markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Video Standards Council industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Content Rating Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Accessibility & Compliance Services (A11y Testing, Ratings, Privacy/Regulatory) (MPAFAKAO)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Publishing Services Providers (Ratings, Compliance, Certification, Release Ops) (MPAFABAL)
Keywords
Where The Video Standards Council is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint Albans
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
The Video Standards Council business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels2 records
The Video Standards Council product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Video Standards Council operates the Games Rating Authority (GRA), which administers the PEGI (Pan European Game Information) age rating system in the UK. The organization assigns age classifications and content descriptors to video games and provides supporting resources including a games search database, parental tools, a schools education programme, and a retail members programme for point-of-sale compliance.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- PEGI Ratings Pan European Game Information rating system that provides age classifications and content descriptors for video games distributed in the UK and across Europe, enabling publishers to meet regulatory and retailer expectations.
- Tools for Parents Information and guidance service for parents covering PEGI ratings, parental controls, and online safety to support age-appropriate gaming decisions for children.
- Schools Programme Educational resources and materials provided to schools to teach responsible gaming and digital literacy using PEGI ratings as a reference framework.
- Retail Members Programme Membership-based support and resources for physical and digital game retailers to ensure compliant display of PEGI ratings at point of sale.
Companies that use The Video Standards Council
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles4 records
The Video Standards Council technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Video Standards Council partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- PEGI (Pan European Game Information)corePEGI is the core rating system operated by the Games Rating Authority. The GRA manages and administers the PEGI rating system in the UK, providing age ratings and content descriptors for video games. The website prominently features PEGI Ratings as its primary product/service offering.
The Video Standards Council competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Australian Classification Board (ACB): ACB is the Australian government body that classifies films, games, and publications. A regional peer in content classification providing age ratings in a different geography.
- USK (Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle): USK is the German video game self-regulatory rating body and a member of PEGI. While PEGI is the pan-European front-end, USK plays a parallel classification role in Germany, making it a regional peer with comparable methodology.
- CERO (Computer Entertainment Rating Organization): CERO is the Japanese video game rating body, performing age classification under a similar model to PEGI for the Japanese market. Comparable in scope and methodology but geographically distinct.
- GRAC (Game Rating and Administration Committee): GRAC is the South Korean video game rating administrator, providing age and content classifications to Korean consumers. Peer in function to PEGI/VSC but operating in the Korean market.
- ClassInd (Brazil): ClassInd is the Brazilian government rating/advisory system for games and other media. Comparable classification function to PEGI but for the Brazilian market and run by government.
Others
- BBFC (British Board of Film Classification): BBFC is the UK's long-standing classification body for film and some streamed content. It is an adjacent peer in content classification — same jurisdiction, similar compliance and education mandate, but with a different media focus.
- EGDF (European Games Developer Federation): EGDF represents European game developers and works closely with PEGI on the rating system. It is an industry-adjacent peer that interacts with VSC's core product and helps shape European games policy.
- IARC (International Age Rating Coalition): IARC is a coalition of rating bodies aimed at unifying ratings across regions for digital distribution. It is an ecosystem-level peer that could partially substitute or complement VSC's role for online storefronts.
Direct peers
- PEGI SA (Pan European Game Information): PEGI SA is the European body that owns the PEGI rating system, of which VSC is the UK administrator. It performs the same age-classification function across continental Europe that VSC performs in the UK, making it the head-of-franchise peer.
- ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board): ESRB is the primary video game age rating system in the United States and Canada, providing age and content descriptors analogous to PEGI. It is the most direct functional equivalent to VSC's PEGI rating service, serving parents, retailers, and the games industry.
Market position
Customer concentration
The Video Standards Council social profiles
Digital presenceThe Video Standards Council financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Video Standards Council leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Video Standards Council funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Video Standards Council M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Video Standards Council
What does The Video Standards Council do?
The Video Standards Council operates the Games Rating Authority (GRA), which administers the PEGI (Pan European Game Information) age rating system in the UK. The organization assigns age classifications and content descriptors to video games and provides supporting resources including a games search database, parental tools, a schools education programme, and a retail members programme for point-of-sale compliance.
Is The Video Standards Council a public or private company?
The Video Standards Council is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was The Video Standards Council founded?
The Video Standards Council was founded in 1989. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Video Standards Council based?
The Video Standards Council is headquartered in Saint Albans, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
Who are The Video Standards Council's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Australian Classification Board (ACB), USK (Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle), CERO (Computer Entertainment Rating Organization), GRAC (Game Rating and Administration Committee) and ClassInd (Brazil). Others are BBFC (British Board of Film Classification), EGDF (European Games Developer Federation) and IARC (International Age Rating Coalition). Direct peers are PEGI SA (Pan European Game Information) and ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board).
Does The Video Standards Council have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Video Standards Council.
What industry is The Video Standards Council in?
The Video Standards Council's product category is Content Rating Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAKAO, Accessibility & Compliance Services (A11y Testing, Ratings, Privacy/Regulatory), with a secondary code of MPAFABAL, Publishing Services Providers (Ratings, Compliance, Certification, Release Ops).