Roblox Addresses Alarming Gambling Scheme Aimed at Children Gamers

Underage players of Roblox are being increasingly drawn into illicit gambling activities orchestrated by unlicensed online casinos, as highlighted in a recent report.

The gaming platform Roblox has faced persistent challenges in moderating its environment, an alarming issue given its primary audience of young users. According to CivicScience, approximately 65% of children in the United States under 14 engage with Roblox.

Sky News has reported that these young users are appealing targets for illegal gambling operations that exploit their gaming habits. While kids often acquire in-game currency, known as Robux, through gift cards and with parental supervision, they are ultimately allowed to spend their earnings freely in-game.

Unfortunately, certain unauthorized platforms enable players to convert Robux into real money, leading to significant financial losses among unsuspecting users. Investigative reporters Ben van der Merwe and Mickey Carroll uncovered that a network of criminal online casinos is leveraging social media channels to lure Roblox enthusiasts.

Roblox Players Suffer Massive Financial Losses

According to Carroll and van der Merwe, the problem often begins with influencers promoting “quick” or “easy” methods for obtaining Robux, inadvertently guiding their followers to unregulated gambling sites. Many players, unaware of the risks, log in to these sites using their Roblox accounts.

These platforms feature not only classic casino games like blackjack and roulette but also interactive betting activities designed to engage young gamers. The reports emphasized that the colorful and cartoonish aesthetics of the games could easily mislead children, making them more susceptible to these sinister traps.

One alarming account shared by a 16-year-old American revealed that he started gambling with friends when he was just 14 years old. In total, he lost a staggering $150,000 before his mother intervened.

“I just thought it was something you could do to make extra money. I didn’t even know what gambling was,” the teen explained.

The investigation led to the closure of one gambling website after the journalists alerted the UK’s Gambling Commission. However, within just 36 hours, the site reemerged under a different domain name. Notably, the site reportedly facilitated $102 million in bets within its first two years, with users collectively losing over $11 million—an alarming revenue stream for a criminal operation with profits averaging around $10,000 daily.

In the wake of a legal case where parents are suing Roblox for its role in promoting illegal gambling, it was revealed that the platform had been aware of these issues since 2022. However, legal actions against the offending websites did not commence until October 2024; prior to that, only removal requests were issued.

A spokesperson from Roblox emphasized that these casinos are not affiliated with the platform. Furthermore, they mentioned ongoing efforts to disrupt such illicit activities, which violate Roblox’s Terms of Service.

“Our efforts have met with some success, but we would welcome further law enforcement action and vigilance from web hosting providers to shut down sites like this,” the spokesperson stated.

Following the release of the Sky News report, illegal gambling websites such as RBLXWild and Bloxmoon have ceased operations.