FTC urged to probe Roblox over child safety and spending allegations

Child safety campaigners filed a complaint with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Wednesday, alleging that Roblox exposes children as young as five to unsafe contact and pressures them to spend money through deceptive practices.

The complaint, submitted by advocacy groups Fairplay and the National Centre on Sexual Exploitation, asked the FTC to investigate the gaming platform for alleged unfair and deceptive practices.

The filing raised concerns about in-game purchases, chat features, and what it described as engagement-maximizing design.

Roblox rejected the claims, stating the platform was “built for fun and connection, not short-term engagement.” A spokesperson said the company has clear policies banning actual and simulated gambling, along with rules governing paid random items.

The spokesperson said most games are free to play, and users are not required to buy the in-game currency Robux.

“In the first quarter of 2026, only 1.4% of our 132 million daily active users were payers on the platform,” the spokesperson added.

After facing accusations of failing to protect child users, Roblox has implemented measures including blocking children from chatting with adults and using age-estimation technology to assign age-appropriate accounts.

However, some campaigners and parents remain concerned about the time and money children spend on the site.

The complaint centered on Roblox’s in-game economy.

Its virtual currency, Robux, can be purchased with real money and used to buy game passes or upgrades for avatars, such as outfits.

The groups argued the system is too complex and difficult for children to understand.

According to the filing, it is “nearly impossible” to track the real-world cost of virtual items.

In one example cited, a parent said their 10-year-old daughter spent more than $7,000 (£5,200) in two months despite attempts to limit purchases.

The filing also alleged that “engagement-maximising” design features are used to keep children on Roblox.

These include incentives such as daily reward streaks and systems that encourage social comparison by displaying other players’ virtual possessions, it said.

Some experiences also use what the complaint described as “gambling-like” mechanics, such as loot boxes or chance-based rewards, which campaigners argue children may not fully understand.

The groups said these features exploit children’s “developmental vulnerabilities,” particularly around impulse control and peer pressure.

“Parents are doing everything they can to protect their children on Roblox, but it’s not a fair fight,” said Ashwin Verghese, Fairplay’s communications director.

“The platform is designed to take advantage of kids’ developmental needs and prey on their vulnerabilities,” Verghese said.

He told the BBC that parents “deserve to know that their children will be safe on Roblox, and we are calling on the FTC to make sure that happens.”

Drew Benvie, chief executive of social media consultancy Battenhall and founder of the youth safety nonprofit Raise, said age limits for features will only go so far in protecting children.

“While Roblox is rolling out new age-based protection features, young gamers are digital escape artists who easily bypass safety features,” Benvie said.

“What’s needed is greater user and parental awareness of the impact social features in games can have on children, as well as wide scale legislative changes to address addictive or problematic features, not just the digital sticking plaster of age limits,” he added.

Another major focus of the complaint was Roblox’s communication features.

It alleged that text and voice chat systems could expose children to inappropriate content and contact from adults, despite existing safety measures.

Researchers using under-13 accounts reported encountering sexual references and offensive language within minutes of entering certain games.

The filing also referenced cases of grooming and exploitation on the site.

Roblox generated $4.9 billion (£3.7 billion) in revenue in 2025, a 36% increase from the previous year, according to company figures.

The FTC has not indicated whether it will open a formal investigation.

The complaint comes as regulators increasingly examine how gaming and social media platforms protect younger users and generate revenue.

Following the success of a California lawsuit arguing that Meta and YouTube were liable for the addictive design of their platforms, more platforms could face scrutiny over techniques such as auto-play and infinite scroll used to keep users engaged.

Sign up for the Tech Decoded newsletter to follow the world’s top tech stories and trends. Outside the UK? Sign up here.