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Roblox targeted in the Philippines for resembling gambling
The Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Chief General, Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., has ordered the Anti-Cybercrime Group to improve efforts and investigations into criminal activity conducted in online gaming apps like Roblox.
The Philippine National Police has announced plans to work with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Centre (CICC) to better target the crimes.
Nartatez Jr. stressed:
“Our mandate of serving and protecting the people now encompasses cyberspace to keep them safe, especially for children. The PNP is coordinating with other agencies to investigate the extent to which Roblox may be used for possible crimes, including sexual predation, grooming, and exploitation of minors.”
Roblox data shows that the game has 111 million daily users, of which around 40% are under the age of 13. The game’s Terms and Conditions state that gambling content is allowed on the platform, but actual gambling isn’t permitted.
However, the game has been under investigation for some time now, as authorities have found that it offers randomized rewards as well as loot box-style prizes and uses in-game currencies that are similar to gambling mechanisms.
The concerns increased after the Danish Gambling Authority (DGA) found in 2025 that Roblox’s in-game currency, Robux, can be used as a deposit in betting and casino games by third-party websites.
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