Roblox is being sued in the US for enabling child predators. (Photo: iStock) 
In 2024, Roblox pulled in more than R78-billion in bookings, powered by its 111.8 million daily active users. Analysts estimate that between R48-billion and R57-billion of that came from under-18s.
In South Africa, where Roblox is the top mobile game, estimates suggest it generates between R72-million and R126-million a year. That’s striking in a market where the average gamer spends just R480 annually.
Read more: Navigating the TikTok digital safety minefield
The company’s reliance on children is, however, now under a legal microscope.
Earlier this year, Louisiana’s attorney general filed a lawsuit in California calling Roblox a “perfect place for predators.” The suit alleges that the platform failed to protect minors from sexual exploitation and benefited from a business model that makes children vulnerable.
Roblox, valued at more than R486-billion, has denied the claims. “Any claim that we would intentionally endanger users is categorically untrue,” the company said. “Safety is foundational to the company, a strategic imperative, and core to our vision and long-term success.”
The anatomy of the digital addiction economy
Roblox has masterfully constructed its revenue model around its youngest users. Despite public messaging about an “ageing up” user base, the company's 2023 annual report revealed an average of 68.5 million daily active users:
- 21% under nine years old;
- 21% aged nine to 12;
- 16% from 13-16; and
- 41% over 17 years of age.
A court filing in California earlier this month describes the experience of a 10-year-old plaintiff who was contacted by a 27-year-old predator via the game's chat features. He then persuaded her to move conversations on to Discord. In April this year, he coerced her to share her address, then kidnapped her, keeping her against her will for an extended period including an overnight stay in a hotel parking lot after they were denied accommodation. At that point, law enforcement intervened, found her in the car in a state of distress and arrested the perpetrator.
Her lawsuit, initiated by her father as she is a minor, claims Roblox’s design, including allowing links to Discord, facilitates such moves. As one former Roblox employee explained in the court application, describing the company’s approach to child safety, “You have to make a decision, right? You can keep your players safe, but then it would be less of them on the platform. Or you just let them do what they want to do. And then the numbers all look good and investors will be happy.” The complaint alleges that Discord has taken the same approach to child safety on its app.
In another lawsuit in February this year, a boy aged 13 was first contacted in Roblox’s popular Pet Simulator. The predator allegedly used the game’s chat features to reach him, then persuaded him to move conversations onto Discord, where the coercion escalated. The lawsuit claims Roblox’s design, including allowing links to Discord, facilitates such moves.
According to the complaint, the child was sent Robux gift cards in exchange for explicit content. When Discord banned the predator, he allegedly continued harassment via text and email, even obtaining the boy’s home address and making kidnapping threats. The family eventually relocated for safety.
A third lawsuit, also initiated this month, involves a 10-year-old girl in Michigan.
How to protect your kids online
South African gaming and tech content creator Grant Hinds says parents need to treat Roblox with the same caution as the physical world.
Play with your kids: Don’t treat Roblox as a babysitter. Be inside the game, know the tools, and see who your child is interacting with.
Think of it like the park: “You wouldn’t let your kid hang out with random strangers at the park. Why would you let them do that on Roblox or Discord?”
Be healthily suspicious: Assume online spaces are unsafe until you’ve verified them yourself.
Build trust: Kids must feel safe enough to raise red flags. “If they understand what’s wrong and right, they can prevent themselves from being taken advantage of,” Hinds says.
New safety measures
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill points to broader concerns, citing reports to the US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that rose from 675 in 2019 to more than 13,000 in 2023. The lawsuit frames Roblox as a system where predators can “easily prey” on minors.
Roblox insists that its safety systems, including more than 40 new tools rolled out in the past year, an AI system called Sentinel to detect grooming, and selfie-video age verification, are making the platform safer. It also disputes that the number of moderators (about 3,000) should be seen as a measure of effectiveness. To put that in context, TikTok, despite having only three times the number of users, employs more than ten times the number of moderators at 40,000.
South Africa’s Roblox economy
Locally, Roblox has shifted its model to focus less on direct spending and more on partnerships with brands. Retailer Game built a virtual Johannesburg in 2022, attracting 14,000 visits.
Nedbank has leaned into Roblox’s reach with Chow Town, a financial literacy game developed with South African studio Sea Monster. The bank told Daily Maverick the project is meant to “empower young people through responsible digital engagement” by teaching creativity, critical thinking and entrepreneurship through play.
Read more: Meta held accountable by South African court in fight against online child sexual abuse
In response to questions, Nedbank stressed that the game was designed with extra safety measures in mind.
It uses only Roblox’s moderated chat system, which parents can adjust or disable, and is overseen by a dedicated community manager tasked with encouraging positive behaviour and responding to violations.
Nothing is risk-free
Nedbank added that Sea Monster regularly updates safeguards and works with Roblox to enforce strict platform policies. “While no digital environment is entirely risk-free,” Nedbank said, “our ongoing vigilance aims to ensure Chow Town remains safe, engaging and educational.”
These partnerships show how the platform’s influence stretches beyond pocket money into broader marketing and education strategies. But they also highlight the central tension: Roblox is both a gateway to learning opportunities and a contested space where children remain exposed to risk. DM