Millions earned by Roblox on the backs of children?
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23 Sep 2025 •
Reading time: 3 minutes Online gaming giant Roblox is once again at the centre of a legal storm. In a federal court in San Francisco, the company has requested the dismissal of a class action lawsuit filed by parents who accuse it of indirectly promoting and profiting from practices akin to gambling involving minors.
The accusations: Robux converted into dollars, children trapped
At the heart of the dispute is Roblox’s virtual currency, Robux. According to the parents bringing the lawsuit, these tokens can be used by children to gamble on third-party sites that operate like real online casinos.
These platforms offered games of chance where Robux were used as bets and could then be converted back into dollars if the player won. The parents point out that the company takes a commission of around 30% when Robux are converted into real currency, which they argue amounts to directly profiting from these practices.
Roblox is strongly defending itself against these accusations. Its lawyers claim that the company has never operated or administered a gambling site. The company maintains that California gambling laws cannot be applied here, as the alleged activities took place outside its official ecosystem.
A judge torn between scepticism and caution
During the hearing, Federal Judge Vince Chhabria expressed his doubts about the plaintiffs’ strategy. In his view, invoking the California Penal Code in this civil case could lead to overly broad interpretations and unexpected results.
However, he did not rule out the possibility of continuing the proceedings. The judge pointed out that California’s Unfair Competition Law allows for the punishment of practices deemed unfair, even if they do not constitute a strict criminal offence.
The families’ representatives insist that the case is far from closed. They want to obtain more evidence on the possible links between Roblox and online gaming platforms, as well as on the alleged lack of preventive measures or warnings to underage users.
A long-standing case and a legal precedent
This is not the first time Roblox has been targeted in this area. In a previous ruling, the same judge, Chhabria, had already dismissed racketeering charges against the company, while leaving open the possibility of negligence proceedings.
This judicial continuity shows that, even if the most serious charges have not been upheld in court, the question of Roblox’s liability remains very much alive.
A tense political and legislative context
This lawsuit comes as California lawmakers debate a bill to ban sweepstakes casinos. These systems allow players to bet with virtual currency that can be exchanged for real money, a mechanism at the heart of the Roblox controversy.
If this legislation is passed, it could not only influence the outcome of the current case, but also serve as a reference for other lawsuits involving the video game and online entertainment industry.
A battle with colossal stakes
Roblox, which claims to have more than 200 million monthly active users worldwide, the vast majority of whom are children and teenagers, has a lot at stake in this case. In addition to potential financial damages, it is above all its image and credibility with families that are at stake.
If the judge decides to allow certain aspects of the complaint to proceed, Roblox could be forced to face a lengthy trial. The parents hope to obtain compensation for the loss of their children, but also to push the company to strengthen its safeguards against any abuse related to the use of Robux.
The Roblox case goes beyond a simple conflict between a company and a few families. It symbolises a broader debate about the grey areas that persist between entertainment, monetisation and practices akin to gambling.