Classification loophole allows under-age game sales in UK [Update]

This is awesome. According to this Times piece, the law governing the sale of classified material in the UK was never enacted. Yep: it isn't illegal to sell classified games to under-agers in Britain.

“The important thing is that we close this loophole as quickly as possible,” said a Home Office spokesperson.

"No one should see this as a green light to act unlawfully. We will continue to prosecute breaches vigorously once this technical loophole is closed."

The "error" was only spotted after recent UK games classification changes started coming into effect.

Jeremy Hunt, Shadow Culture Secretary, said: “Much of the problem would have been avoided if they had sorted out the classification of video games earlier, as we and many others in the industry have been urging them to do.”

A trillion facepalms. What a f**king shower.

Update: ELSPA's told publishers to carry on rating games as normal. No s**t. Full thing on GI.