Is GTA 6 Banned? Every Country Where It's Restricted
Is GTA 6 banned in your country? Where the eight-country claim came from, and the real status in China, Russia, the Gulf, Australia and Tajikistan today.

No country is confirmed to have banned GTA 6 specifically. Neither Rockstar, Take-Two nor local regulators have confirmed an outright ban on the game. The headlines saying it was banned in eight countries came from a PlayStation list of places excluded from a free month of GTA+. That doesn't mean you can buy it everywhere: Tajikistan has banned the series, and China and Russia have no official way to sell it.
GTA 6 availability by country
| Country | Status | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Tajikistan | Series banned | Banned GTA in 2024 for inciting crime |
| China | No legal sale | No GTA game has a publishing license |
| Russia | No official sale | Storefronts withdrew over sanctions; not a game-specific ban |
| Belarus | No official sale | Take-Two stopped sales in 2022 |
| Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar | Unclear | Excluded from the GTA+ offer; no ban confirmed |
| Oman | Restricted | Local PlayStation Store limits mature content |
| Lebanon | Unclear | Not listed for pre-order in June |
| Thailand | Unclear | GTA was pulled from retail in 2008 |
| Saudi Arabia | Available | Listed with a 21+ rating |
| UAE | Available | Pre-orders listed on PlayStation |
| Australia | Available | Age checks may limit online features |
Where the "banned in eight countries" claim came from
PlayStation's GTA VI page excluded Bahrain, China, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Russia and Taiwan from the free GTA+ month tied to pre-orders. Some readers took that to mean the game itself was banned.
It doesn't follow. The FAQ deals with who qualifies for a subscription promotion, not with whether the game can be sold. A Bahraini gaming expert quoted by News of Bahrain made the same point about the offer.
Taiwan shows how shaky the list was as evidence of a ban. One creator says it was later removed from the exclusions, which would allow the game to be sold there, while another still lists it as excluded from the promotion.
Is GTA 6 banned in the Gulf?
There's no confirmed ban, but the situation isn't clean either. The New Arab found that PlayStation storefronts in Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman didn't list GTA VI for pre-order as of June 25. Earlier GTA games have faced restrictions or delays in parts of the Gulf over violence, drug use and explicit themes, and it's still uncertain whether local sales there will open or face limits.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE look very different. Both reportedly lifted their bans on the GTA series in 2025, and Standard and Ultimate editions were listed on their PlayStation stores. One YouTube channel predicted a Saudi retail ban pending classification, but the reported 21+ listing points the other way.
If the game isn't on your local store, Khaleej Times notes that PlayStation and Xbox let users switch store regions. The New Arab warns that this may breach platform terms, so read those before you try it. Our price guide lists what it costs by region.
Is GTA 6 banned in Russia?
Not formally. The obstacle is commercial: Take-Two suspended game sales in Russia and Belarus in 2022, and Sony, Microsoft and Valve pulled their storefronts over international sanctions.
The political pressure is real, though. Mikhail Ivanov, deputy chairman of the World Russian People's Council, called the series a dangerous tool of influence. He wants either strict limits on distribution or a special censored version for Russia, and Rockstar hasn't given in to that demand.
Is GTA 6 banned in China?
It can't be legally marketed on the mainland, because no Grand Theft Auto game has ever received a government publishing license. Nothing in the reports we checked suggests GTA 6 will be the first.
Is GTA 6 banned in Australia?
No, despite the history. Australia refused San Andreas classification in 2005 over hidden adult content, and major retailers pulled GTA 5 from shelves in 2014 after a petition. The current issue is age verification for online games, which may restrict some multiplayer functions. Our age verification guide explains what that means. One channel projects censorship edits for Australia, but that's speculation.
The UK, Canada and everywhere else
GTA 6 isn't banned in most of the world, and the reports we checked describe no ban in the UK or Canada. Pre-orders were available in just about every country. Availability in restricted markets could still change before the November 19 launch, so your local store is the final word.
Confirmed vs. rumored
| Claim | Status |
|---|---|
| GTA series banned in Tajikistan | Reported |
| No GTA license in mainland China | Reported |
| No official sale in Russia | Reported, due to sanctions |
| Eight countries excluded from the GTA+ offer | Listed by PlayStation |
| Those eight countries have banned GTA 6 | False reading of the offer |
| Formal ban in any Gulf country | Not confirmed |
| Saudi retail ban | Speculation |
| Censored version for Australia or Japan | Speculation |
Sources
Based on 14 videos and articles. Here are the main ones, with credit to their creators.
- ArticleGTA 6 Ban Status Explained by Country and Regiongtaboom.com
- ArticleGTA 6 is already banned in one country for “encouraging murder”dexerto.com
- ArticleGTA 6 ban status explained: Where the game is available and restrictedaltchar.com
- VideoGTA 6 Is Banned in 8 Countries… But Not By Any GovernmentWorld Compared
- ArticleCould GTA 6 be banned in four Gulf countries? Here's what we know so farkhaleejtimes.com
Show all 14 sources +Show fewer −
- ArticleGTA 6 pre-orders unavailable in some Arab countriesnewarab.com
- ArticleNo Official GTA 6 Ban Confirmed in Gulf Countries Despite Online Claimsnewsofbahrain.com
- Video🚨Is GTA 6 Banned in 8 Countries? Here's the Truth!Shreyas Mech
- VideoWhere in the World Will GTA 6 Be BANNED or RESTRICTED? (2026 Map) 🌍Geo Map Animations
- ArticleGTA 6 Is Facing A Ban In At Least One Countrysvg.com
- VideoThe Countries Where You Can't Play GTA 6Banned Map
- VideoGTA 6 BANNED in 8 Countries?! The REAL Ban Isn't on the List (2026)Border Brawl
- ArticleGTA 6 is apparently already banned in these countriestweaktown.com
- VideoAll the Countries Where GTA 6 Will Be BannedGood Winner
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