Roblox Opens Up Advertising To Kids Under 13

Why It Matters

Opening the under‑13 segment creates a new revenue stream for Roblox and gives brands a regulated path to reach a massive, highly engaged youth audience, while addressing mounting child‑safety scrutiny.

Key Takeaways

• Roblox partners with SuperAwesome for exclusive under‑13 ad marketplace
• Ads limited to direct deals, no programmatic or rewarded video
• Targeting is contextual, using country, gender, age range only
• Revenue shared with game creators; existing programmatic partners unchanged
• Over 35% of verified users are under 13, driving new monetization

Pulse Analysis

Roblox’s decision to monetize its under‑13 audience marks a strategic pivot in the platform’s advertising model, aligning with tighter regulatory expectations around child data. By introducing robust age verification and new user tiers, the company can now offer advertisers a privacy‑safe, COPPA‑compliant environment that mirrors traditional TV spots rather than invasive programmatic tactics. This move also differentiates Roblox from rivals like Meta and TikTok, which have faced criticism for opaque youth advertising practices.

The exclusive partnership with SuperAwesome provides the technical backbone for contextual ad placement and brand‑safety controls. Advertisers will access only banner and static or video billboards on the home screen and select in‑game spots, with all creatives clearly labeled. Revenue from these campaigns will be split with game developers, preserving the incentive structure that fuels Roblox’s vibrant creator ecosystem. Existing programmatic relationships with PubMatic and Google remain untouched for users over 13, ensuring continuity for broader ad inventory.

From a market perspective, the under‑13 cohort represents a sizable, untapped segment—over a third of Roblox’s age‑verified daily users. Brands eager to engage Gen Z early now have a regulated channel, potentially reshaping ad spend allocations toward immersive, interactive experiences. As child‑safety lawsuits continue to pressure platforms, Roblox’s cautious, direct‑deal approach may set a new industry standard for responsible youth advertising, balancing monetization goals with parental trust.