Steam has introduced age verification requirements in some regions, starting with Australia that can force users to verify their age through a payment method. This change is a joke brought on by the Australian Government, and affects everyone, including accounts that have existed since Steam became a thing... So if Steam is now asking for a credit card for age verification, there are a few legitimate payment alternative methods you can use to get around the block without needing to sign up for a credit card.
Takeaways:
- What's the best way to get around Steam's new credit card age verification check?
- Are there any payment alternatives that you can use to get around Steam's new credit card verification check?
Table of Contents
How to Bypass Steam Credit Card Age Check
Older Steam workarounds, sometimes called the JavaScript method javascript:addToCart(SUBID);), to add products or packages directly to a Steam cart sadly no longer work since Steam has changed parts of its store and purchasing systems, so old browser console tricks and JavaScript cart manipulation methods that circulated online should not be expected to work.
So any guides suggesting javascript:addToCart(SUBID); and SteamDB won't work anymore.
Steam Credit Card Age Verification: Payment Alternatives
If you have a Zip Pay account and Steam accepts Zip-generated debit cards in your region (Australia still does at the time of writing), you may be able to use a single-use Zip Pay debit card as the payment method requested during verification.
- Open your Zip account and use its available card functionality to generate a single-use or temporary debit card. The exact options available can depend on your account and location.
- Once the card has been generated, note the card details required for an online payment.
- Go to Steam and jump through the age verification or payment verification process.
- When Steam asks for a credit or debit card, enter the details of the eligible Zip card instead of your regular credit card.
For the time being, this method is working well, and there aren't any issues with it, though it is damn annoying to have to go through all this trouble to pay for games when you and your account are well over 18... More than likely, this will just drive people to piracy... It's already being suggested as an alternative online.
Is this Method Safer than Other Workarounds?
The main advantage of this process is that you are still providing a legitimate payment method rather than attempting to manipulate Steam's website to get around its verification system.
This is also quite handy for anyone who does not have a credit card or wants a credit card. But has access to a typical digital payment service. As always though, payment verification requirements vary a lot between countries, accounts, and Steam's current policies. If you dont have Zip there are bound to be other similar alternatives you can use. Just check online and see what is available in your country.
Steam's New Age Verification Requirement?
The most annoying thing about this change is that it affects everyone, even people who have Steam accounts that are older than 18 years. The account should automatically exempt it from newer verification requirements. The thing that annoys me most is that credit cards aren't free and usually have yearly fees attached to them, even if you don't use them. Which is a ridiculous expense to force on people who have no other need for a credit card...
