Unlicensed gambling sites are exploiting Roblox to lure children into high-stakes betting. Some teens have lost massive sums, with efforts to shut these sites down proving ineffective. Today’s Pixel P&L covers this story, Kiddopia’s new partnership, Chess’s addition to the 2025 Esports World Cup, and more industry updates.
Illegal Online Casinos Exploit Roblox to Lure Children into Gambling
Illegal online casinos are exploiting Roblox, a popular video game with 80 million daily users, to lure children as young as 12 into gambling, a Sky News investigation revealed. The platforms allow users to gamble with Roblox’s in-game currency, Robux, on games like slots and blackjack, converting winnings into cryptocurrency or cash.
Unlicensed gambling sites such as BloxFlip, Bloxmoon, and RBLXWild have been linked to the platform, attracting millions of visitors and processing significant volumes of bets, according to the report. The UK Gambling Commission has blocked several of these sites and launched an investigation.
The report highlighted instances of teenagers losing substantial sums, with one minor reportedly gambling $190,000 worth of Robux. Bloxmoon alone processed $22.3 million in bets between April and October 2024, retaining $2.2 million as revenue, the investigation found.
In a statement to GamesIndustry, Roblox said it does not own or condone the gambling sites and is working with law enforcement to shut them down. Despite efforts to disrupt operations, some sites have reappeared under new domains, including Bloxmoon and RBLXWild.
Nazara’s Kiddopia Signs Licensing Deal with Moonbug Entertainment
Paper Boat Apps, a subsidiary of Nazara Technologies and maker of Kiddopia, an app offering learning games for children, has signed a licensing agreement with Moonbug Entertainment. The deal allows Kiddopia to integrate characters and storylines from Moonbug’s animated series Little Angel into its platform.
The first Little Angel-themed games are scheduled to launch in 2025, blending storytelling with educational experiences. The collaboration includes joint marketing efforts aimed at social media and parenting networks.
Kiddopia, which specializes in creating interactive educational games for young children, will use the partnership to expand its offerings. The agreement comes as part of a broader strategy by Nazara to bolster its portfolio. Recent moves include acquiring a 60% stake in Funky Monkeys Play Centers for $5.24 million and investing $500,000 in LearnTube, an AI-driven learning platform backed by Google.
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Chess Joins Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh
The Esports World Cup (EWC) Foundation has partnered with Chess.com to launch the $1.5 million tournament. It will feature top players qualifying via the Champions Chess Tour, with additional spots available through a last-chance qualifier. Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, has become an ambassador of the game at the EWC, and will promote chess’s integration into the esports world.
Niantic, McDonald’s Partner to Boost Engagement in Pokémon GO
This initiative will turn all 13,500 U.S. restaurant locations into PokéStops and Gyms for Pokémon GO, aiming to drive both in-game and foot traffic. Scheduled Raid Weeks, running across four months, will attract players to McDonald’s locations during peak hours. Financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed.
Former Chinese Sports Minister Expelled Amid Corruption Allegations
Gou Zhongwen, 67, former head of China’s General Administration of Sport and president of the Chinese Olympic Committee, was expelled from the Communist Party and dismissed from public office for corruption, abuse of power, and dereliction of duty, officials said. The Esports Advocate reported that Gou, who oversaw sports policy from 2016 to 2022, was not considered a supporter of esports, which faces regulatory challenges under oversight from the National Press and Publication Administration.
Did You Know
Pigs have demonstrated the ability to play video games using their snouts! In a study, four pigs—Hamlet, Omelette, Ebony, and Ivory—used arcade-style joysticks to guide an on-screen cursor into walls.
Despite being far-sighted and lacking thumbs, the pigs learned the connection between the joystick and the game, a feat researchers called "remarkable." Even when food rewards stopped, the pigs kept playing, encouraged by kind words from researchers.
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