Protecting Minors: Legal Challenges in Gaming Safety

Don’t want your kids gaming to become the next big lawsuit?

It’s happening right now. Gaming companies across the country are facing litigation brought by parents accusing them of maliciously designing games that cause addiction in children. The fallout has already changed the way some companies approach their platforms and lawsuits are continuing to be filed at an unprecedented rate.

Here’s the breakdown…

Consumer protection and gaming safety have gone from zero to litigious in just the past couple of years. Over 100 lawsuits have already been consolidated in California alone against companies like Epic Games, which owns Fortnite, and Microsoft for their popular gaming apps.

In This Ultimate Guide:

• Everything Families Need To Know About Gaming Addiction Lawsuits
• Roblox Accused Of Child Exploitation
• Lawsuits Take Aim At Game Companies
• Number Of Lawsuits Explodes
• Parents Hold Video Game Companies Accountable
• Legal Options For Families
• Protecting Minors From Gaming Addiction

Lawsuits Explode Over Gaming Safety Concerns

Gaming safety isn’t the only thing gaming companies are being sued for these days. Families allege Roblox, Fortnite and other platforms are purposefully creating addiction in children by using tactics found in gambling and social media apps to keep kids playing games.

The stats behind gaming safety concerns paint an ugly picture.

Exploitation case counts on Roblox alone increased from 675 to more than 24,000 cases in 2024, a 3,500% increase over just five years.

Parents are no longer sitting by as they learn about the apps’ internal mechanics that are allegedly intentionally geared towards hooking children. Many have joined together with experienced Roblox attorneys to pursue litigation against the billion-dollar corporations for allegedly harming their children.

And it turns out that courts are listening.

Courts Are Now Looking At Gaming Companies Practices

Families behind these lawsuits argue that popular gaming apps like Roblox, Fortnite, Minecraft, and others engage in:

• Psychological manipulation techniques designed to get children to keep playing longer
• Gambling-inspired loot boxes and microtransactions that appeal to children’s impulsive behavior
• Reward structures and feedback loops specifically designed to stimulate dopamine
• Gameplay loops with no natural stopping points that encourage continuous play
• Features designed to create social pressures for kids to keep playing their games

They claim these practices aren’t accidental or for educational purposes. Instead, they assert these companies created games for kids using the same psychological manipulation techniques to get them to buy or pay to continue playing.

But that’s not all…

Gaming Addiction Lawsuits Aren’t Your Typical Consumer Claims

Lawsuits are unique in that they take aim at a product’s design instead of just blaming parents or guardians. These lawsuits aren’t arguing that all games cause addiction. Instead, they focus on whether companies knowingly created products designed to be attractive to children without considering the risk of causing gaming addiction in minors.

Courts are now digging in and asking questions like:

• Did gaming companies not warn parents about these risks?
• Did games have adequate safety features for children?
• Did gaming companies accurately disclose all the psychological manipulation methods used in their game design?

Gaming Addiction Lawsuits Consolidated In California

In California, gaming addiction lawsuits have been consolidated under JCCP No. 5363, meaning all state-level gaming addiction claims are now being handled by one judge in Los Angeles.

Consolidation of these cases is critical to efficiency of the litigation. Settlements are much more likely once all similar cases are overseen by the same court.

The Hidden Gaming Addiction Mental Health Costs

Kids’ mental health is at stake when it comes to gaming. Research shows significant mental health effects in young players suffering from excessive gaming.

Kids with symptoms of video game addiction are at nearly double the risk of depression and anxiety. Increased suicidal ideation, school refusal, declining grades, loss of interest in other activities, and other physical health consequences also come with unchecked gaming.

The World Health Organization classified “gaming disorder” as a legitimate condition in 2018. Some courts will now be weighing whether companies should be held liable when their products contribute to children or young adults developing these conditions.

Pretty scary, huh?

Gaming Companies Defense: The Addictive Game Design Is The Problem, Not Us

Gaming companies are fighting back. They claim their games are protected under the First Amendment as creative expression. They are also taking aim at the studies showing their design features cause real addiction and mental health effects, claiming there is not enough evidence.

Many companies point to recently added age verification systems, parental controls, content moderation efforts, and time limits to claim they’ve already addressed these issues and work to keep their platforms safe for children.

Critics are quick to point out that gaming companies should have known about these issues before adding features instead of continuing to push new games. Many safety features are seen as weak compared to sophisticated addiction mechanics games were built with from the start.

Filing A Video Game Addiction Lawsuit

Parents and families of young players can take legal action if their child experienced:

• Diagnosed gaming or internet gaming disorder
• Mental health issues as a direct result of gaming
• Academic or social issues from inability to control gaming behavior
• Physical injuries or conditions from repetitive strain gaming
• Financial losses from unauthorized in-app or micro-transactions

The big factor is age. Most cases involve minors or young adults under the age of 25, whose still developing brains are more easily hijacked by gaming designs and products.

Keep in mind that families have limited time to file claims due to different statutes of limitations by state. Acting quickly is key.

Lawsuit Stakes In The Millions

Millions of dollars are on the line for every gaming addiction case filed. Legal experts estimate settlements could range from $50,000 for low level claims all the way to $350,000+ for cases where hospitalization or long-term psychological harm is present.

The global gaming market is worth over $176 billion, so companies have deep pockets for defense. This is where having legal representation that knows the landscape is key for families going up against billion-dollar gaming companies.

Parents Can Protect Kids In The Meantime

Legal action is one part of the solution to protecting kids. The best thing parents can do in the meantime is to set clear boundaries around gaming time. Parents should also be aware of warning signs that children are showing symptoms of gaming disorder.

Set firm and consistent rules around gaming. Monitor what games children play and look into the internal mechanics of each game. Use all available parental controls. Set up and enforce spending limits. Pay attention for declining grades, changes in social behavior, emotional outbursts from inability to play games, and other negative side-effects.

Have open and honest conversations with children about how gaming companies hook players with reward systems and social pressures. Explain the tricks being used and help kids learn to be smart gamers instead of compulsive ones.

Of course, that’s just protecting individuals. If game design is the problem…

Wrapping Things Up

Gaming addiction lawsuits are just getting started. As more and more families come forward, the answers to questions like whether companies knowingly built games specifically for children that trigger addiction-like symptoms will continue to emerge.

The legal battle around gaming safety and lawsuits is one of the most significant moments for consumer protection. How these cases work out will set the stage for future regulation and litigation of gaming companies’ products.

If families are already struggling with gaming addiction, legal options are available. Gaming companies need to start putting player safety and mental health ahead of engagement metrics or face further legal and regulatory action.

The future of gaming could hang in the balance.