Uncovering the Dark Side of Gaming: How a Web of Underground Casinos Is Targeting Young Gamblers with Roblox Exploits
UPDATE: Roblox states it does not own, manage, operate, or endorse the questioned websites
Original report, December 17 2024: A “network of illicit casinos” is purportedly allowing minors to gamble using their Roblox currency.
As revealed by an investigation from Sky Files, minors as young as 12 have allegedly been able to gamble with their Roblox accounts on unlicensed websites and casinos that exist outside of Roblox’s platform.
Although these casinos are not listed on Roblox itself and the company has tried to deter these illegal sites, it’s reported that young individuals can use their Roblox login details and Roblox’s in-game currency, Robux, to engage in gambling on “robux casinos” like BloxFlip, RBLXWild, and Bloxmoon. The latter – which acquired RBLXWild earlier this year – has reportedly amassed “a total of $11.4m (£8.9m) […] since its debut in late 2022.”
While some casinos ask players to enter a birth date or check a box confirming they are over 18, “they do not make an effort to verify the user’s age.”
One individual revealed to Sky Files that he began gambling at 14 and has lost approximately 15 million Robux – equivalent to around $190,700 (£150,000). Even though his mother “attempted to persuade [him] to quit,” he “enjoyed the thrill of making larger and larger bets.”
“I thought it was just a way to earn extra cash,” he mentioned. “I had no idea what gambling was.”
A friend of the minor allegedly threatened to take his own life after losing 20,000 Robux – about $250/£200 – “on a single roulette spin.”
Sky Files noted that the boy’s friends were unclear “if he was serious, but the group was reluctant to involve adults for fear of exposing their gambling activities.”
“We tried to calm him down ourselves,” the individual added.
According to the investigation, Andrew Rhodes, chief executive of the Gambling Commission, stated: “At the end of the day, illegal casino operators are criminals. They’re backed by criminal organizations and are part of the underworld. It’s essential for all of us to do our part in thwarting them.”
Emphasizing that all stakeholders, including parents, should be “alert” about their children’s online activities, Rhodes added that parents “must recognize that criminals are always seeking ways to exploit young individuals and be aware of that danger.”
BloxFlip went offline shortly after Sky Files presented the findings. Bloxmoon and RBLXWild have also vanished, with messages on their websites indicating they have “ceased operations.”
Nevertheless, developments continue.