Philippine authorities target Roblox in gaming cybercrime push

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has clamped down on enforcement against cybercrime conducted through online gaming platforms, including children’s video game Roblox.

This comes after prosecutors flagged elements of Roblox that resembled gambling and could have exposed children to exploitation. The directive specifically addresses concerns about child exploitation and illicit gambling.

Cybercrime crack down

In an official statement released on Sunday, PNP Chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr ordered the Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) to escalate efforts to combat unlawful conduct facilitated by online gaming applications. 

The gaming platform Roblox was explicitly mentioned, following reports suggesting misuse of the app “including sexual predation, grooming and exploitation of minors.”

Chief General Nartatez emphasised: “Our mandate of serving and protecting the people now encompasses cyberspace to keep them safe, especially for children. This is what modern policing also means, and your PNP has been keeping up.”

The PNP confirmed ongoing cooperation with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) to investigate these allegations. 

Officials clarified that enforcement efforts are not confined to Roblox alone, indicating that other online gaming and social media applications are under vigilant surveillance.

‘Child gambling’

Roblox has reported more than 111 million daily users, with roughly 40% being under the age of 13. Its systems for randomised rewards and purchasable virtual items have drawn scrutiny from regulators and academics. 

Research from the University of Sydney and interviews with children and parents show youngsters struggle to understand in-game currency and random-reward mechanics. Some parents call them ‘child gambling’ and describe transactions as ‘scams’ and ‘cash grabs’. 

This heightened enforcement focus also reflects a broader international regulatory trend. In Greece, authorities have recently moved to strengthen protections for young people amid rising harms linked to online betting, including efforts to curb exposure to digital gambling content and tighten oversight of online platforms.