Iraq bans Roblox over child safety issues: List of countries where the video game platform is banned

Iraq has banned video game platform Roblox due to child safety concerns. Announcing the ban, the government said that it is motivated by concerns that the game allegedly allows direct communication between users in a way that exposes children and adolescents to exploitation and cyber-extortion, says news agency Reuters. As per the report, the Iraq government further said that the content on Roblox was "incompatible with social values and traditions".


The Iraqi communications ministry, according to the report, said the nationwide ban was based on a comprehensive study and field monitoring which found that "the game involves several security, social, and behavioural risks".


What Roblox says


Roblox denies the allegations. In its defence, said that safety was its top priority and it wanted to work with the government to restore access.


The Reuters report quotes a Roblox spokesperson who said:


“We strongly contest recent claims made by the Iraqi authorities, which we believe to be based on an outdated understanding of our platform”


Earlier this year, Roblox temporarily suspended certain communication features such as in-game chat for users in Arabic speaking countries, including Iraq, the spokesperson added.


List of countries where Roblox is banned


With the ban, Iraq has joined other countries that have already banned the video game platform. Several Middle East countries have tightened regulation of online gaming and interactive platforms over child safety and moral concerns in the past. These include Turkey, Oman, Qatar and China.


Turkey blocked access to Roblox in August 2024. It also cited child abuse risks as the reason behind the ban.


Roblox is also facing a lawsuit in Louisiana, accusing the platform of exposing children to explicit content and failing to protect them from predators. Further, a 12-year-old girl in Canada has also sued Roblox, alleging it is designed with features and gameplay elements that are "addictive, manipulative and financially exploitative."