Dutch Watchdog Opens Investigation Into Roblox Over Child Safety Risks

The regulator is to examine whether the gaming platform meets EU online safety rules for minors.

Gaming platform Roblox is displayed on a tablet in New York, on Oct. 30, 2021. Leon Keith /AP Photo

The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) said on Jan. 30 it has opened a formal investigation into gaming platform Roblox over potential risks to minors in the European Union.

The Dutch regulator said it will examine whether Roblox is taking sufficient measures to protect underage users on its service, as required under the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which came into force in early 2024.

The ACM said it could not provide further details about the content of the investigation at this stage.

The probe adds to mounting regulatory and legal pressure on the U.S.-based company, which operates one of the world’s most popular gaming platforms for children and teenagers.

A Roblox spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement on Jan. 30 that the company is “strongly committed” to complying with the DSA.

“We have invested significantly in building robust systems that align with the DSA’s principles, including working to ensure the safety, security and privacy of minors, as illustrated by the introduction of age check requirements for all users wishing to chat on our platform,” the spokesperson said.

Roblox and the Dutch regulator have been in talks “for many months,” the spokesperson said.

“We look forward to providing the ACM with further clarity on the many policies and safeguards we have in place to protect minors, including various safety enhancements that we believe set an industry benchmark for communication safety,” the spokesperson added.

Investigation

Roblox allows users to play games created by other users and to interact in virtual spaces. The platform includes text and voice chat features and social elements such as virtual hangouts.

According to the company’s website, Roblox has more than 77.5 million daily active players worldwide.

Under the DSA, online platforms must take appropriate and proportionate steps to ensure a high level of privacy, safety, and security for children.

The Dutch regulator oversees compliance with the DSA for platforms headquartered or legally represented in the Netherlands, including Roblox. The ACM said it has received reports concerning Roblox and in recent months gathered information from the platform as part of a preliminary inquiry.

The duration of the investigation is not yet known but could take around 12 months, depending on its progress, the regulator said.

If the ACM concludes that Roblox is complying with the rules, it may close the case without action. If it finds violations, it can impose enforcement measures such as binding instructions, fines or penalty payments. During the procedure, the regulator said it will not comment on the substance of the investigation.

International Scrutiny

Regulators in several countries have taken action against Roblox.

In the United States, several states have filed lawsuits. Texas sued in November 2025, alleging the company failed to protect children from online predators, while attorneys general in Florida, Kentucky, and Louisiana have brought similar cases.

In December 2025, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird said her office sued Roblox, accusing it of “engaging in deceptive trade practices” by claiming its platform was safe for children while allegedly lacking safeguards and facilitating the sexual exploitation of minors.

Russia’s telecommunications watchdog Roskomnadzor said on Dec. 3, 2025 that it had blocked access to the platform, citing what it described as “registered facts of massive and repeated dissemination of materials with propaganda and justification of extremist and terrorist activities, calls for committing illegal violent actions and LGBT propaganda.”

Roblox has also been blocked in Turkey, according to an August 2024 company update. In Iraq, authorities have banned the platform over child safety concerns.

Protection of Users

Roblox has said it continues to invest in moderation and age-based safety measures.

In a Jan. 29 statement, Roblox said it has launched safety and civility initiatives, including new technology to proactively monitor avatars and educate users about our policies.

In a separate announcement on Jan. 7 from San Mateo, California, Roblox said it would require users in the United States to complete an age check to access chat features.

“With this change, Roblox becomes the first large online gaming platform to require age checks for users of all ages to access chat,” the company said.

Roblox began rolling out the age check requirement in December in Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands, following a phased rollout announcement in November.

The company said more than 50 percent of daily active users in those three countries had already completed the age check. Globally, tens of millions of users have done so, it added.

“Our commitment to safety is rooted in delivering the highest level of protection for our users,” said Roblox Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman.