Illegal Casinos on Roblox Closed Under Renewed Oversight  

After a thorough investigation by Sky News, unlicensed online casinos on the widely-used Roblox platform have been shut down for good. These illegal gambling sites, which enabled minors to place bets using Roblox accounts, have been closed due to increasing legal pressure. The inquiry centered on Bloxmoon, RBLXWild, and Bflip, which promoted their services to Roblox players via social media. Users placed bets using Robux and turned their winnings into cryptocurrency, leveraging a platform where 42% of the users are under 13. On Tuesday, Bloxmoon and RBLXWild ceased operations, directing users to Discord channels for refund conversations without giving any clear reasons for their sudden closure. In contrast, Bflip has stayed temporarily accessible but has declared its „immediate and permanent shutdown,“ due to increasing legal pressure from Roblox Corporation. A message on Bflip’s website indicated that Roblox’s legal team has exerted pressure, forcing them to stop operations. By shutting down now, they can quickly and safely start refunding users. These changes mark a significant step in tackling unregulated gambling aimed at Roblox’s young users. Roblox Corporation reiterated its dedication to ensuring community safety, highlighting the importance of its dedicated team in stopping Robux from being misused for gambling. Nevertheless, reports indicate that these gambling sites have been active since at least 2022, raising questions about the effectiveness of past attempts to prevent such activities and safeguard younger players from being taken advantage of. The damage inflicted by these platforms is illustrated by the account of „Robert,“ a teenager who spoke with Sky News and started gambling on these websites at the age of 14. Throughout the years, he bet about £150,000 in Robux. Robert characterized the activity as very addictive, fueled by the excitement of making bigger bets.