Amsterdam, January 30, 2026, 14:39 CET
The Netherlands’ consumer watchdog, the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM), announced on Friday that it has launched an investigation into U.S. gaming platform Roblox. The probe focuses on potential risks to underage users within the European Union. The regulator is assessing whether Roblox complies with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) in protecting minors. 1
The case arrives just as European regulators intensify enforcement of the DSA, the EU’s framework governing online platforms with rules on matters like child safety. Under its enforcement system, authorities can demand changes and levy fines up to 6% of a provider’s worldwide annual revenue in severe cases. 2
Roblox’s blend of user-created games, chat features, and virtual worlds has made it a hit with kids, but it keeps raising red flags over violent or sexual content in games and scammers targeting users through chats to extract money or explicit material, Dutch public broadcaster NOS reported. The Dutch interior ministry said in October it’s still assessing the safety risks and how online platforms affect children, NOS added. 3
ACM is investigating whether Roblox adequately shields minors from sexually explicit games and “bad actors,” along with scrutinizing its use of dark patterns—design tactics that nudge users into spending more, RTL Nieuws reported, citing the regulator. Media education expert Harry Hol told RTL that user-generated games lack full moderation, raising concerns about “sex, violence and hate.” 4
DutchNews.nl reports the investigation might drag on for up to a year, potentially resulting in a fine or a binding order forcing Roblox to implement certain changes. The regulator is prioritizing the protection of minors against online abuse and deception, the outlet added. 5
Roblox revealed it has been in talks with the ACM for several months and called adhering to the DSA “one of our highest priorities.” The company emphasized, “The safety of our users … comes first,” in a statement shared by Dutch consumer show Kassa, highlighting new age verification measures for chat users. 6
The company also revealed plans to enforce facial recognition-based age checks aimed at restricting interactions between children and adults, The Straits Times reported. Roblox has come under fire and been hit with several lawsuits in the U.S. related to child safety, the newspaper noted. 7
ACM serves as the Netherlands’ Digital Services Coordinator, the official body responsible for overseeing and enforcing the DSA within the country, per the European Commission’s register. These coordinators have the power to demand data access, conduct inspections, and levy fines on providers operating in their jurisdiction. 8
The outcome isn’t locked in. The DSA’s standard for “appropriate and proportionate” safeguards opens the door to debate, particularly on a platform centered on user-generated content and in-game purchases, where harmful material often appears quicker than it can be flagged. Roblox might convince regulators that its existing controls suffice — or face pressure to overhaul features that drive player engagement.
