Dangerous betting on Roblox
In recent months, European regulators, particularly in Denmark, have highlighted a worrying phenomenon that is developing on the Roblox video games platform: the growth of online betting via the game’s virtual currency, Robux. This phenomenon raises questions about the safety of young players, often minors, who have easy access to these gambling practices.
A new concern: betting with Robux
Robux are the virtual currency used on Roblox, enabling players to purchase items, clothing, accessories and even access to premium experiences created by other users. They can be acquired via direct purchases, subscriptions (Roblox Premium), or by developing and monetising content on the platform. The Danish Gaming Authority (Spillemyndigheden) has expressed serious concerns about the rise of betting activities on the platform, specifically around the use of Robux.
Users can now bet their Robux on third-party sites that allow them to wager on games of chance and lotteries, but these practices raise serious questions about the safety and well-being of players, particularly young people, who make up a large proportion of Roblox’s audience.
The challenges of online gambling for minors
One of the main concerns raised by Spillemyndigheden concerns the easy access of minors to illegal betting sites. Around 50% of Roblox users are under the age of 18, a significant proportion of whom have not even reached the age of 13. Unauthorised betting sites allow these young players to use their Roblox identifiers to access online gambling. Some of these sites even go so far as to convert these virtual currencies into cryptocurrencies, thereby facilitating money laundering.
‘Roblox is particularly popular among children and young people under 18. Therefore, Robux betting can be a problem because it means that many young people under 18 can access gambling via Robux betting,’ said a spokesperson for the Danish Gambling Authority.
This easy access to online betting platforms, often associated with the Roblox platform, increases the risk of addiction and financial loss.
Action underway to limit the dangers
Faced with these challenges, the Danish Gaming Authority has stepped up its efforts to counter this practice. Spillemyndigheden is working with technology giants such as Google, Facebook and Twitch to remove illegal gambling content linked to Roblox.
‘The Danish Gambling Authority is working to establish more collaborations with other media, where we see illegal gambling or the illegal provision of gambling taking place,’ they said.
Despite the efforts of Roblox and the authorities, these platforms keep reappearing under new addresses.
Parents of young gamblers are also fighting to protect their children. In 2023, several families filed a complaint against Roblox, arguing that the platform was taking advantage of its links with third-party gambling sites, thereby encouraging children to risk real money. A collective complaint, filed by Rachel Colvin and Danielle Sass, drew attention to the dangers of Robux betting.
A long-term solution: awareness-raising and regulation
Although Roblox prohibits real money gambling on its platform, regulators believe that the management of the virtual aspect of Robux betting is beyond their control, raising important questions about the limits of regulation of online gambling platforms.Calls for better regulation and increased vigilance are growing louder. The Danish government, as well as other countries, may be forced to reassess the mechanisms for controlling online gambling and the way in which platforms such as Roblox interact with third-party services that enable online betting.