Underage Roblox players have been targeted in gambling plots run by illegal online casinos, according to a new report.
Roblox has long struggled with moderation issues, a concerning fact given its target audience. Consumer analytics platform CivicScience estimates that 65 percent of U.S. children under the age of 14 play Roblox.
Reporting from Sky News reveals that such users have become the target of illegal gambling sites looking to take advantage of their gaming habits. Kids may receive in-game currency, called Robux, through gift cards and strict parental guidance, but once the money is on their accounts, they’re free to spend it leisurely.
As such, some third-party sites illegally allow visitors to exchange Robux for real money, the report outlines. Reporters Ben van der Merwe and Mickey Carroll investigated the matter and found that a criminal ring of online casinos uses social media to attract Roblox players.
Roblox users have lost millions in gambling scheme
According to Carroll and van der Merwe, the trouble starts with media influencers who inform their followers of “easy” or “free” ways to get Robux fast. Unwitting players end up on unregulated gambling sites where they then log in with their Roblox credentials.
These sites host traditional casino games like blackjack, roulette, and the like, yet also feature experiences where players can track a rocket and bet on where it’ll land. The cartoonish and colorful designs read as “sinister,” the reporters said since the games are meant to appeal to kids.
They spoke to a 16-year-old American teen who admitted to joining one site with his friends when they were just 14. He ultimately gambled away $150,000 before his mother put a stop to it.
“I just thought it was something you could do to make extra money. I didn’t even know what gambling was,” the teenager said.
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One website was shut down after the journalists informed the UK’s Gambling Commission but returned under a new domain name within 36 hours. Since it failed to engage certain protections, Sky News was able to access data that showed the site has hosted $102 million worth of bets in the two years since its inception.
Of that figure, users have lost more than $11 million, revenue for the criminal enterprise which rakes in around $10,000 per day.
Legal filings in a U.S. case wherein parents are suing Roblux for facilitating illegal gambling revealed the platform was aware of such cases as early as 2022. However, Roblox didn’t start taking legal action against the third-party websites until October 2024. Before then, only take-down requests were issued.
A Roblox representative told Sky News the casinos aren’t endorsed by Roblox and that the company has taken measures to “disrupt their activity,” as they violate the Terms of Service.
“We have a dedicated group focused on identifying potentially fraudulent activity on Roblox and we work collaboratively with law enforcement authorities where possible to pursue the owners of such websites.
“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.”
Since the Sky News report went live, illegal gambling platforms RBLXWild and Bloxmoon have ceased operations.
