The VSC was created in 1989 following concerns from then Home Secretary Douglas Hurd regarding the enforcement of the Video Recordings Act 1984.

Initially, they worked on behalf of the UK Interactive Entertainment Association (formerly ELSPA) via a voluntary system of game ratings which most publishers adopted.

The GRA continues today to administrate the PEGI system alongside NICAM (Netherlands Institute for the Classification of Audiovisual Media); NICAM classifying games for ages 3 to 7, and the GRA classifying games for ages 12 and above.

Since this time, the organisation has been the statutory body responsible for the age rating of all video games within the UK.

[7] On 30 September 2024, the VSC formally changed its legal name to the Games Rating Authority,[8] with the original "The Video Standards Council Limited" being retained purely as an operating name for use in connection with its ongoing work with retail partners.