Creating the "Roblox Stock Exchange": Would This Be Allowed?

[aldiniLua]

I’ve recently invested some money into the stock market (specifically shares in the NYSE).

My investment got me thinking about how the stock market functions, and an idea popped into my head about re-creating the stock market in a roblox experience. Although most of you probably already know about how the stock market works, here’s a quick (super dumbed-down) explanation: you buy shares in a company, and then sell them again at a later point (hopefully for a higher price).

The way I would re-make this on Roblox is by having people purchase “money” with Robux, and then use this “money” to buy shares - in popular games such as Arsenal, Brookhaven, Adopt Me, etc. Stats such as visits, favorites, etc. would be showed alongside the stocks so people could make their choices wisely.

After a period of time, they could re-sell these shares at a higher price. They could then trade-in the money they made at a 65% back rate (30% Roblox tax, 5% profit), similar to capital gains and income taxes in a real-life setting. I would carry out this part of the transaction through a hosted bot.

This economy would work because I would pay enough in advertisements to allow for people to start buying these cheap “stocks,” and people would start to benefit… with me making a tiny profit off of each purchase.

My question is: Does this go against the ToS?

It is in no way gambling, I am just wondering if there are any similar cases you guys have so I can use them as a reference point, or perhaps any other rules that I am not aware of.

[Friendly4Crafter]

@aldiniLua

The way I would re-make this on Roblox is by having people purchase “money” with Robux

By the way, you cannot do this since it is against the Terms of Service to gamble or bet with real money, including robux since it can be bought with real money.

[P0_RG]

it’d be a cool system, but it’ll go against ToS

its gambling as much as it isn’t. maybe the best way to get around that is to make an in game currency rather than direct robux purchases (and maybe that currency can be bought with robux too for more income)

i also don’t think many will trust the stuff with the bot and all, and if gains traction it could be an easy target for exploiters

[P0_RG]

@Friendly4Crafter

make a virtual currency for users to bet with that cannot be bought with robux.

c’mon man this happens all the time

numerous big games that have things like rng unboxings n stuff would all be considered illegal then if you buy things with robux

games like mm2, adopt me, etc

[Abcreator]

@P0_RG

numerous big games that have things like rng unboxings n stuff would all be considered illegal then if you buy things with robux

Nope, the ToS specifically allows it if you state the odds of getting each type of item.

@P0_RG

and maybe that currency can be bought with robux too for more income

This is against ToS too as that currency would be tied to Robux and therefore can’t be used to gamble.

@aldiniLua

They could then trade-in the money they made at a 65% back rate (30% Roblox tax, 5% profit)

This is not allowed because you can not promise Robux in a Roblox game.

[Abcreator]

@aldiniLua

It is in no way gambling

Nope, this probably would be under the gambling header.

[P0_RG]

@Abcreator

Nope, the ToS specifically allows it if you state the odds of getting each type of item.

if you just take mm2 for example, they don’t state the odds.

@Abcreator

This is against ToS too as that currency would be tied to Robux and therefore can’t be used to gamble.

ok, doing this type of thing is SO common, its the sole reason PTW games exist. and we all know there are many of them. if they’re illegal, why haven’t they been taken down?
and its not like random throwaway dev accounts are doing this, you’ll find this in big games all the time

[Abcreator]

@aldiniLua

with me making a tiny profit off of each purchase.

You may actually make a loss since the games wouldn’t be paying you for giving the shares, for example let’s just say I buy shares in Adopt Me! and make $10 profit on my $3 shares, this means I will get 65% of that ($6.50) meaning you make a loss of $4.50 since you don’t make money from Adopt Me!'s success.

[TucLxDM (Alexz)]

Right, so for this big games have to comply to this and they may not do that, so, that has to be kept in mind.

[P0_RG]

@P0_RG

you’ll find this in big games all the time

the more i think about this, the more realize how big of a driving factor it is financially. it definitely is one of the key sources of incomes for devs’ games

[aldiniLua]

The profit you make from your shares is when other people buy what YOU are selling at a higher price than originally. I always make a profit because I control the entire economy, and skim a small % off the top.

I don’t think this would be considered gambling, HOWEVER, the issue would be with the in-game promise of Robux… People buy currency in games all the time.

The only issue with the system that I see is that I am promising Robux inside a game.

[Abcreator]

@P0_RG

if you just take mm2 for example, they don’t state the odds.

Yep, had a discussion about this today and concluded that that game is actually breaking ToS but Roblox just didn’t take action yet.

@P0_RG

you’ll find this in big games all the time

But most of these big games state the odds.

If you want to read what you can and can’t do on Roblox, here you go: https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/203313410-Roblox-Community-Rules

There really is no use arguing since I’m only stating what it says in the Community Rules.

[Abcreator]

Thread that states that this is gambling: Is stock market considered gambling?

[P0_RG]

@Abcreator

If you want to read what you can and can’t do on Roblox, here you go: https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/203313410-Roblox-Community-Rules

ok don’t be that guy and start telling me to read stuff lol

@Abcreator

There really is no use arguing since I’m only stating what it says in the Community Rules.

then why haven’t all these big games been taken down? the use of purchasing in-game currency thru robux which is received from irl spending is honestly probably the strongest economic force a game can have. then those purchases going into rng stuff is also nothing new. adopt me, mm2, mining simulator etc are prime examples

stats also not being displayed or being hella vague are not new at all

[Abcreator]

If you want the post that states it’s gambling:

@rogchamp

Only if the in-game cash is not purchasable with actual Robux. Once there’s a direct conversion possible, that gives the in-game cash actual real-world value (purchasable with Robux which is purchasable with USD), and it stops being okay.

[P0_RG]

you just said there’s no use in further arguing… where does all of others’ opinions come in from?

[Abcreator]

@P0_RG

then why haven’t all these big games been taken down?

The fact is that there big, Roblox doesn’t seem to take down games that are breaking ToS minorally and are popular, however there is no guarantee you’ll get away with it.

@P0_RG

where does all of others’ opinions come in from?

I’m just stating what is in ToS.

[aldiniLua]

I disagree on the gambling point, however, I found something that is kind of questionable. The terms state:

• Do not permit or enable the selling or trading of random virtual items obtained in your game(s) or experience(s), for Robux, real currency or anything of value off the Roblox platform.

Shares are not at ALL “random virtual items,” only virtual items, and this distinction is important.

This stops devs from monetizing items from crates for cash, kind of like a lottery. However, because this is their own decision with no chance or randomization involved, it’s a different story.

[P0_RG]

@Abcreator

The fact is that there big, Roblox doesn’t seem to take down games that are breaking ToS minorally and are popular, however there is no guarantee you’ll get away with it.

games have been wiped off the front page before, its nothing new

@Abcreator

I’m just stating what is in ToS.

@Abcreator

There really is no use arguing since I’m only stating what it says in the Community Rules.

an argument is an exchange of different views, and its not like i’m here having an argument with myself. you’re partaking in it whether you realized or not lol

you say that its wrong bcuz whatever ToS stuff, i say the opposite
it doesn’t matter what your source of info is

[Abcreator]

@P0_RG

it doesn’t matter what your source of info is

What I was saying is that there is no real point arguing over the ToS rules since neither of us have the power to change them meaning that whatever is in ToS must be abided by to the word.