Steam users in Australia hit a new wall on September 9, 2026. Anyone trying to view or buy a game rated R18+ by the Australian Classification Board now has to add a valid Australian credit card to their account before Valve will let the purchase through.   Debit cards do not count. Neither does PayPal, a driver’s licence photo, a passport scan, or a facial age estimate. A credit card is the only accepted proof of adulthood, and that narrow choice has turned a routine compliance update into one of the most-discussed platform policy stories in PC gaming this month.