Egypt's Supreme Council for Media Regulation confirmed a ban on Roblox during a February 1 Senate session focused on gaming risks to children. The National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority is coordinating implementation, though no timeline has been specified.
The ban positions Egypt as the eighth country in the Middle East and North Africa to restrict or block the platform since August 2025. Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Oman, and Iraq have all implemented similar measures, citing concerns over inappropriate content, violence, and child exploitation risks.
Roblox's MENA presence is substantial. Egypt ranks among the top three regional markets by downloads, according to Statista data. The platform claims 80-85 million daily active users globally, with 40% under 13 and core demographics between 9-15 years old.
The regulatory pattern emerged after Louisiana filed suit against Roblox in August 2025, alleging the platform facilitated child exploitation. Roblox rejected those claims as "false" in statements to BBC.
What this means in practice: Gaming platforms with user-generated content face mounting pressure to demonstrate child safety controls before market access. The regional coordination suggests MENA regulators are sharing intelligence on platform risks, rather than acting independently.
The compliance challenge extends beyond content moderation APIs and AI tools. Platforms must now navigate fragmented regulatory requirements across markets where youth demographics dominate. Egypt's average age skews 10-16 years, with an estimated 30 million young people accessing gaming platforms, according to SCMR statistics.
Worth noting: No major gaming platform has successfully reversed a MENA ban through improved safety measures. Russia and China maintain separate restrictions on Roblox for different reasons, indicating the compliance issues span regulatory philosophies.
Roblox has not issued a public response to Egypt's announcement. The company's previous pattern has been denial rather than engagement with regional regulators on specific safety improvements.