Ebay require all users to by 18 or over, so anyone selling there can assume the buyer is 18 - if not then they have lied about their age, and are already breaching ebays terms and conditions.

If the auction cite certifies that the purchaser is 18, then that seems pretty reasonable that the seller should take that at face value.

This is the big net loophole. While ebay may act, many gamers shop outside the U.K. This is why its always a grey area and always will be. Ebay will have some standard like this, but not every U.K/E.U website will. It is also possible that if you tried to have every website do this, said site could just move to a server outside the U.K.

Auction websites are one thing, and normal websites are quite another.

As for postal orders, they are still legal tender, so the seller has no reason to not receive them, unless previously stung and stated. Paypal is another problem, because if kids didn't use P.Os, you can have a U.K bank account from age 14, open a Paypal account, link them, and bobs your uncle.

There's always a way online, but the real world is slow catching up as usual. Like I said ages ago, if you want certain games, kids a damn clever, resourceful and will find a way (despite any ratings.

Adding to my last comment, on Ebay, there's nothing stopping a seller, if they are an individual and an adult, from selling a pre owned game of any rating to a minor. The seller just wants a sale and the buyer the game, and the anonymous nature of each plays its part.

And like morning after pills for girls, if you don't provide it in the real world (because of too much politics and bs stalling things), people that need it will go elsewhere (online), its that simple.

isnt this down to the fact you need a credit card to purcahse online?

or would it be those, Electron and Solo cards 16 year old thugs all have!, not to mention the famous splash plastic that most asbos have started to carry, what i think it fails to show is what age these underage are!,

should they be 10 or 11 then fairs do`s its not on, but can we really tell a 16 year old he cant watch and play a violent video game, although the law does permit him/herself to engage in sexual acts although strictly of the hetrosexual variety ( anythign else = 18+), and obtain cancer through means of weeded sticks it also begs the problem that any 16 year old that has left home to there own flat/bedsit/house/tip (as i did) and not legally be sold a new knife for their new kitchen. and not to forget that you cannot drive through hoards of people in a blista compact until you are 18+ yet in reality you can purchase your own 206 and throw that into a real life child age 18- at 17+

the worlds gone mad!!!

The world is indeed drowning in a mess of unneeded legislation. Also notice nothing is ever said about film in the same light. While some might use that lame Byron report non interactive excuse, the real truth is that the government don't want to take on the giant movie industry as a result. The games industry is young and easy to blame because many don't play or understand them.

This is in a very similar way to how games get it from all side in the U.S, being blamed for shootings etc, but those same objectors fail to go after better gun laws, even if it means their youth dying in the process. A sad state of affairs.