Pirate games get requested all the time, and a common ask is the ability to gamble gold. The problem, of course, is that simulated gambling would hurt Sea of Thieves’ age rating, which makes it essentially off‑limits. For a long time, that left a core part of the pirate fantasy stuck in limbo thanks to ESRB and PEGI restrictions.
But there is a way to add pirate games without adding gambling—and still allow meaningful player interaction.
Minecraft is PEGI 7 with zero gambling features. Yet players freely build casinos and gamble their diamonds away. That’s allowed because it isn’t a built‑in mechanic; it’s simply player‑driven interaction in a sandbox. Online interactions aren’t rated, and as long as the game itself doesn’t provide gambling systems, players can create their own risk‑and‑reward scenarios.
Sea of Thieves could follow the same model. Add pirate games with no built‑in betting systems, and let players use trust, loot items, or improvised stakes if they want. That keeps the game within rating guidelines while still enabling the fantasy.
Is “betting” possible? Technically, yes—but it’s a pirate game. Nothing stops someone from shooting their opponent and taking the winnings, which honestly fits the world perfectly.
And it’s worth noting that a form of “gambling” has existed since Season 5 with the dice emotes. Players have literally decided Hourglass matches with a roll of the dice, and that hasn’t affected the rating at all.
I made 2 little games I would like to see in Sea of Thieves, alongside the mandatory classics everyone has in their mind right now. (Checkers, Poker, liar's dice, ect.)
Soulbound: The OoS TCG
the order of souls has made a trading card game. battle with ocean crawlers, phantoms, skeletons, even ghost ships! all with real soul fragments imbued within the cards for high action VFX! unlock cards through completing associated commendations and purchase them from the OOS Tent! trade them with other players! there are many other cards too based off of other iconic cursed enemies and items.
Rum Roulette
it's a card game utilizing multiple opaque rum bottles drunken throughout the game by the losers of each round. know most just have banana water, but one has a brew so powerful it will knock you out and into a deep sleep!
(Basically, PG pirate liar's bar with alcohol instead of a gun.)
That's really all from me, I think I understand the right way for rare to add games but if anyone sees flaws in my logic, please let me know in the comments. From the way I am seeing it, the ball is in Rare's court on this much requested feature.
also outfit presets when?
