Which countries have mandatory age-verification laws for adult websites as of 2025?
Executive summary
As of mid‑2025, U.S. states led the world in passing mandatory age‑verification laws for adult websites: reporting varies but sources show between 19 and 25 states had enacted such laws by early-to-mid 2025, with many more passing or enforcing measures later in the year (Axios: 19 states as of Jan. 2025) [1]; an industry association counted 25 states as of June 30, 2025 [2]. Internationally, the UK’s Online Safety Act and regulator guidance required “strong age checks” on pornographic services from July 25, 2025 [3] [4].
1. What the numbers say — different tallies, same trend
Reporting shows two clear snapshots: Axios reported 19 U.S. states had passed age‑verification laws as of January 2025 [1], while the Age Verification Providers Association (and related industry tracking) counted 25 states by June 30, 2025 [2]. Journalists and advocacy groups also cited figures ranging from “more than 20” to “at least 24” states later in 2025, reflecting rapid legislative change and staggered effective dates and enforcement actions [3] [5].
2. How the laws typically work — thresholds and methods
Most state laws apply only to “commercial” sites that host a defined proportion of sexually explicit or “harmful to minors” content (commonly one‑third or a “substantial portion”), and require either government‑issued ID, a certified third‑party verification service, digital ID, or transactional data to prove a visitor is 18+ [6] [7] [8]. Some states impose no percentage threshold and apply to any site hosting material judged harmful to minors [9].
3. Enforcement cadence — enacted vs. enforced
Legislation often includes staggered effective dates and regulatory rulemaking; Missouri’s administrative rule was published in May 2025 but one tracker expected a November 30, 2025 effect date, illustrating the difference between passage, rulemaking and enforcement [8] [9]. States such as Georgia, Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota, Arizona and Ohio are cited as enforcing or setting enforcement dates through mid‑ to late‑2025 in contemporaneous reporting [10] [11].
4. The national turning point — courts and the Supreme Court
Legal challenges shaped rollout. A Texas statute (H.B. 1181) that required age verification reached the U.S. Supreme Court; some reports indicate the Court upheld a Texas law in June 2025, a ruling described as changing the legal landscape and making state laws more likely to be upheld [7] [5]. At the same time, industry legal fights (NetChoice, Free Speech Coalition) continued in multiple states, producing temporary injunctions and appeals in some jurisdictions [6].
5. Industry and civil‑liberties responses — competing frames
The adult industry and digital‑rights groups warn that requiring government IDs or large‑scale personal data collection creates privacy and security risks and drives users to non‑compliant or offshore sites and circumvention tools [12] [1]. Proponents frame laws as narrowly tailored protections for minors and point to reductions in traffic to compliant sites after early laws, while critics point to migration of users and privacy trade‑offs [5] [3].
6. International moves — U.K. and beyond
Beyond the U.S., the U.K.’s Online Safety Act produced regulator guidance that “strong age checks” must be used for pornographic content, with provisions taking effect July 25, 2025, applying to services that host such material [3] [4]. Other countries are in various stages of planning or debate; available sources do not provide a comprehensive global list of mandatory laws as of 2025 (not found in current reporting).
7. What this means for websites and users
Sites meeting thresholds must implement verification tech or risk fines and civil liability in states that make noncompliance actionable; implementation details — whether ID upload, third‑party attestation, or anonymized methods — vary by state and regulation [2] [8] [7]. Users’ practical experience depends on where they are located and whether a site chooses to geoblock or comply: several large platforms restricted access for certain states rather than collect IDs [12] [10].
8. Limits of the current picture and recommended follow‑ups
Sources diverge on exact state counts and timelines because of fast legislative change, staggered effective dates, regulatory rulemaking, and litigation [2] [1] [10]. For a definitive, up‑to‑date list for 2025, consult state statutes and the most recent regulatory notices or industry trackers cited above — the Age Verification Providers Association and Free Speech Coalition maintain rolling maps and timelines [2] [9]. Available sources do not include a single authoritative global roster of countries with mandatory age verification as of 2025 (not found in current reporting).