Roblox has been blocked in several countries by governments and other authorities, including Algeria, China, Iraq, Jordan, North Korea, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Russia, and Turkey.
Roblox has been blocked in several countries by governments and other authorities, including Algeria, China, Iraq, Jordan, North Korea, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Russia, and Turkey.
On 8 September 2025, [1] authorities in Algeria banned Roblox, stating that the company lacked sufficient tools and capacity to protect children. Officials reported that a growing number of Algerian users, particularly those under the age of ten, were being exposed to sexual harassment, other inappropriate content, and increasing incidents of fraud, scams, and child exploitation. [2]
Roblox has been blocked in China due to regulatory concerns related to content deemed anti-communist. China maintains strict controls on foreign social media and online platforms, intended to limit exposure to material that could contradict with the messaging of the Chinese Communist Party. [3]
Documents obtained by Vice's Motherboard following a leak revealed Roblox's strategy for entering the Chinese market. These include a 2017 presentation titled "China MVP Ideas from Aug Trip" and a 2018 document called "China Government Policy", outlining steps for collaboration with Tencent and compliance with local regulations. [4]
The documents specify that Roblox and its games must respect China's territorial integrity, referring to disputes involving Taiwan, Tibet, the South China Sea, and Aksai Chin. The platform would also need to verify user identities using national IDs and restrict international players on Chinese servers, applying the same data collection standards to all users. [4]
Other requirements include prohibitions on tampering with historical facts, promoting division or ethnic discrimination, inciting national hatred, depicting graphic violence, showing national leaders, or endorsing polygamy or casual sex. [4]
In 2021, Roblox Corporation collaborated with Tencent to launch a Chinese version of its platform under the name LuoBuLeSi (Chinese :罗布乐思), [5] but the service was shut down later that year. The company continues to operate in China and supports developers through LuoBu Studio, which allows content publication for both Roblox and the future LuoBu app. Roblox stated that changes related to LuoBuLeSi do not affect users outside China. [4]
A Roblox spokesperson confirmed that the company aims to comply with local laws in regions where it operates and emphasized that building a platform in China requires iterative adjustments. [4]
On 21 October 2025, [6] Iraq blocked access to Roblox, citing concerns over child safety. Authorities stated that the game allowed direct communication between users, which could expose children and adolescents to exploitation or cyber extortion, and that the platform was "incompatible with social values and traditions". The Iraqi Communications Ministry announced that the ban followed a study and observations that found Roblox posed multiple "security, social, and behavioral risks". [7]
Roblox Corporation responded that safety was a top priority and stated that it wanted to collaborate with the government to restore access. A spokesperson said the claims were based on an outdated understanding of the platform and noted that certain communication features, such as in-game chat, had been temporarily suspended for Arabic-speaking countries earlier in 2025. [8]
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) implemented a similar block days later, citing the general interest of its population. A ministerial order added Roblox to the list of previously banned programs, sites, and applications in the region. [6]
Since 2020, [9] Jordan has blocked access to Roblox over concerns for children's mental health and well-being, [10] citing risks such as exposure to foul language, scams, and hacking that could negatively affect their development. [3]
North Korea has banned Roblox as its chat features allow communication with users internationally, which contradicts the country's isolationist policies. [3]
In June 2025, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Oman told the local newspaper Atheer [11] that access to Roblox was blocked after authorities received multiple reports of inappropriate content being distributed to minors. [12]
Palestine blocked access to Roblox on 17 November 2025 following a decision by the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy in collaboration with the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority. The ministry stated that the decision was based on monitoring content and user interactions that were deemed inappropriate for children, including exposure to harassment and other unsafe digital behaviors. Authorities announced that they would work with Internet service providers to implement the ban and noted that similar measures had been taken in other Arab states. The ministry and the authority stated that the decision was motivated by the prioritization of digital safety for children. [13]
Qatar blocked access to Roblox on 13 August 2025 due to concerns over child safety following online protests for government action. Although the application remains available for download on app stores, users in Qatar cannot progress beyond the home screen, and the web version similarly returns an error. [14]
Russia blocked access to Roblox, stating that the platform distributed extremist materials and content classified as "LGBT propaganda". The communications regulator Roskomnadzor said the platform contained instances of child sexual harassment and the distribution of explicit images that could negatively affect the moral development of children. [15]
Roblox stated that it complies with local laws in the countries where it operates and highlighted its existing safety measures, including systems designed to detect and prevent harmful content. In 2023, Russia designated the "international LGBT movement" as extremist and labeled those involved with it as terrorists, enabling prosecution against individuals and organizations associated with LGBT advocacy. [16]
On 7 August 2024, [17] Turkey blocked access to Roblox over concerns that the platform contained content that could potentially lead to child abuse. Before its ban, Roblox had been downloaded 41 million times in Turkey since 2015. [18] Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç stated that constitutionally the state is obligated to take measures to protect children. The Adana 6th Criminal Court of Peace issued the block following an investigation by the Adana chief public prosecutor, citing Turkey's internet governance law enacted in 2007 and updated in 2020. [19] [20] Roblox stated that it has been cooperating with Turkish authorities to address the concerns. [17]
According to the company, it prioritizes user safety, particularly for children, and has introduced several safety systems. Roblox also stated that it works with policymakers and other organizations on safety-related issues. [17]
Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu stated that Roblox could be unbanned in the country if the platform complies with government requirements to remove specific content. [21]
In August 2025, Kuwait temporarily blocked access to Roblox due to concerns about child safety, according to the Communications and Information Technology Regulatory Authority. The regulator stated that the decision was made under its legal authority to protect users, following complaints from parents and other agencies regarding children's exposure to harmful content on the platform. [22]
The block came after the Ministry of Information asked the Ministry of Communications to intervene, citing potential risks to children. The move also followed increasing public concern from critics who claimed the platform promoted immoral behavior, contained violent content, and encouraged inappropriate behavior. [22]
Al Qabas reported that the ban was lifted after Roblox's developers agreed to introduce additional safety measures. These included removing restricted terms, disabling in-game chat, and implementing monitoring systems to reduce harmful or inappropriate content. Officials stated that enforcement would continue and that further action would be taken if the platform violated these conditions. [23]
From 2018 to 2021, Roblox was banned in the United Arab Emirates. In 2018, Emirati Attorney General Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi issued an order restricting access to several online gaming platforms, including Roblox, My Friend Cayla, Blue Whale, Cloud Pets, and Mariam. [24]
As of 2021, the Telecommunications and Regulatory Authority confirmed that Roblox was no longer banned in the United Arab Emirates. Gulf News reported that the platform was available for download on devices through the App Store and Google Play. [24]
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