Iraq Bans Roblox over Child Safety Concerns

Concerns that children and adolescents were exposed to attempts at exploitation or cyber-extortion due to the game allowing for direct communication between users was also cited as motivation for the ban. The decision places Iraq among several countries in the Middle East that are tightening regulations around online gaming and other interactive platforms due to child safety and moral concerns. The country of Turkey blocked Roblox in August of 2024, with risks of child abuse also cited. 

Roblox has faced criticism due to the ease with which children can encounter inappropriate content on the gaming platform. In 2024, an estimated 40% of the platform’s 85 million daily users were users under the age of 13. Roblox’s daily users have since passed 100 million in 2025. 

Roblox Corp has previously stated that it “respects the laws and regulations in countries where we operate and share local lawmakers’ commitment to children.” The platform has continued to face scrutiny across the globe for the risks it poses to children, as well as exploitative practices around microtransactions. In Australia, where a social media ban for anyone under the age of 16 is being implemented, Roblox Corporation has committed to introducing a number of safety measures by the end of 2025 to address risks of child grooming. Those measures include making accounts for users under the age of 16 private by default, and introducing tools to prevent adult users from contacting children without parental consent. 

Roblox Corporation has not issued an official response to Iraq’s ban at this time.