By Cecilia D’Anastasio, Bloomberg
Two advocacy groups focused on child safety are asking the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Roblox’s game mechanics, which they claim coerce kids into spending unreasonable amounts of money on the platform.
Roblox, a gaming platform that’s particularly popular with younger players, is violating rules designed to protect consumers by unfairly marketing virtual currencies and items to children and using “engagement-maximizing design features,” according to a letter the National Center on Sexual Exploitation and Fairplay planned to send to the FTC on Wednesday.
The platform obfuscates the exchange rate between cash and the virtual Robux currency used within the games, making it challenging to calculate the real cost of an item, according to the letter, which was reviewed by Bloomberg. Features such as false scarcity and reward mechanisms are designed to increase kids’ time and spending on the platform, the organizations said. Games on Roblox are developed by third parties who are encouraged to profit from the platform’s in-game economy, according to the letter.
“Young users say they feel a constant pressure to keep up with their peers on the platform, and are thereby driven to buy and spend Robux in order to enjoy its experiences,” the groups wrote.
A Roblox spokesperson said the San Mateo-based company “strongly disputes these claims.” The platform “is designed to provide a positive, healthy and enjoyable experience — we build for fun and connection, not short-term engagement. While no system can be perfect, we have a set of safeguards designed to support a safe and civil environment, and clear policies for game creators that require fair treatment of players.”
The bulk of Roblox’s revenue comes from in-game spending, such as character accessories, purchased with Robux. The company generated $4.9 billion in revenue in 2025, a 36% increase from the prior year. However, most games are free to play and no one is required to purchase Robux. In the first quarter, only 1.4% of Roblox’s 132 million daily active users were paying players, according to the company. Roblox isn’t profitable and reported a net loss of $1.1 billion in 2025.
The company offers a number of parental controls for moderating children’s spending and game choices on the platform, where 35% of its users who have had their ages checked are under 13. Parents can block specific games, filter games by maturity ratings and control how their kids communicate on the platform. They can also set monthly spending limits and screentime restrictions. Parents have the ability to monitor their children’s activity, including to prevent them from making unauthorized purchases.
The letter is being submitted on behalf of the anti-screentime advocacy group Fairplay and the conservative advocacy group National Center on Sexual Exploitation — which has long advocated against online pornography and sex work. The organizations also accuse Roblox of making “deceptive claims” about children’s safety on the platform — the subject of several lawsuits by state attorneys general.
The FTC has taken action in the past against games that it claims have deceived kids about the cost of winning sought-after prizes. In 2025, the FTC received a $20 million settlement from Cognosphere, maker of the popular game Genshin Impact, which it accused of using a convoluted and chance-based system to obscure the actual cost of items in its loot boxes.
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