In the UK, 8 illegal casinos were shut down

They used Roblox to lure children into online gambling.

Sky News, a British television network, has launched an investigation that has highlighted a huge network of illegal casinos actively engaging young children to gamble via the Roblox gaming platform. As a result, the UKGC has blocked eight websites of the casinos.

These casinos normally don't appear on Roblox in an unlicensed status, except people of any age can click on their adverts, log in using their Roblox credentials, and bet using Robux, the in-game currency, in blackjack or slot machine activities. Winnings can, however, be cashed out in cryptocurrency.

Roblox has around 80 million active users daily. About 42% of its users are children aged 12 and younger.

One teenage Roblox user revealed to Sky News that they lost about 15 million Robux, equivalent to $150,000. They entered online casino sites at 14, although the legal age for gambling in that state is 21.

Sky News dealt with the investigation of three major casinos which accept Robux: BloxFlip, BloxMoon, and RBLXWild. They are visited by approximately 2.8 million users monthly. Based on Sky News reports, the UKGC launched its own investigation and banned their operation in the UK.

The virtual currency used in Roblox can help you buy in-game items. Robux can be purchased for real money at a standard rate of £1 for 100 Robux. Some casinos have allowed users to create an account for their site through their Roblox profile, thereby gaining access to their Roblox account. Some casinos ask users to check a box or enter a date of birth to confirm their age. However, the casinos do not take any real measure to check users' ages.

Sky News was given access to data from BloxMoon that shows users have lost £8.9 million on the site since its launch in late 2022. This information encompasses all bets made on RBLXWild since July when BloxMoon bought the site. From April to October of this year, users placed bets worth £17.7 million, while the casino paid out only £16 million.

Others might be earning even more than that from casinos. Of the eight platforms, BloxFlip was the most popular, with an average of 2.7 million visitors a month. This closure was announced just 36 hours after an exposé was published by Sky News. BloxFlip's co-owner said that Roblox's lawyers had begun pressuring the platform hard. So did BloxMoon and RBLXWild.

For all those looking for a genuine choice, it becomes rather important to look for a trusted platform. There are online sources to help with some of the best bookmaker apps for seasoned players or newcomers alike. In terms of laws and regulations, bookmakers will be safe and assure one of a safer gambling experience than unlicensed casinos.

According to a representative of Roblox, the company has a special group which is oriented towards spotting what it believes to be an illegitimate act done on its gaming platform. They said that Roblox is currently cooperating with the law enforcement unit to take action against the owners of such online casinos.

Last summer, parents in the US filed a class-action lawsuit against Roblox, alleging that the platform profitably collaborates with third-party sites allowing the use of Robux for gambling among children. Sky News has covered the platforms mentioned in the lawsuit.

According to the plaintiffs, Roblox has known about BloxFlip and RBLXWild since at least April. However, action in court against those sites was taken by Roblox only in October for copyright infringement and a breach of the terms of service.

This UKGC is currently working on attempts to identify the real owners of such online casinos, thus holding them accountable.

In the UK, gambling is operated in a legal sphere and under strict oversight by the UK Gambling Commission, which gives licenses to both offline casinos and online operators. The UK has a responsible gambling program actively endorsed by the government and operators.

The White Paper, a new set of rules aimed towards regulating the gambling market in a more precise and transparent way, was released by the UK government. Industry participants feel that it was high time for such a document, given the ambivalence of gambling regulation in Britain-the latter definitely stands to lose from having to operate under a set of very old-and hardly effective-laws.

At the same time, major market operators had to work under outdated and convoluted UK legislation. The "White Paper" aims to address this issue, making UK gambling laws more up-to-date and transparent. Furthermore, the "White Paper" includes several interesting recommendations for market operators:

• A maximum betting limit on slots.
• Financial vulnerability checks and affordability measures.
• Creation of a special gambling ombudsman position.
• Increased role for the Gambling Commission.
• Expansion of the list of authorized gambling machines in casinos.