Roblox and other virtual economies are changing families’ conversations about money, and helping solve the perennial parenting problem of controlling how kids spend online. Most virtual items cost less than the equivalent of $10. Parental controls implemented in recent years mean out-of-control spending by children is less of a concern than it once was. By topping up virtual wallets with a little cash, parents save time and money.
“They were handing it right back to me and saying, ‘Can you convert this to Robux?’ ” said Mr. Robleto, a 46-year-old web designer in Rockville, Md. “I don’t even need to have cash in the house. I can just go online and put $5 into their accounts.”