Online games make it easy for kids to play, compete, customize characters, and unlock new items. Many games also make it very easy to spend real money through premium currency, battle passes, loot boxes, skins, upgrades, and limited-time offers.
Before your child starts a new game, have one simple conversation: some game money is pretend, and some game money costs real money.
That talk can prevent surprise charges, reduce pressure to buy digital items, and help your child build safer online habits.
What is in-game currency?
In-game currency is money used inside a video game. Some games give players free currency for completing challenges, leveling up, or logging in. Other games sell premium currency that costs real money.
Common examples include:
- Coins
- Gems
- V-Bucks
- Robux
- Tokens
- Credits
- Crystals
- Battle pass points
The tricky part? Games often make both types of currency look similar. A child may not immediately understand that clicking “buy” can charge a parent’s credit card, gift card balance, mobile wallet, or console account.
Why should parents talk about premium currency?
Parents should talk about premium currency because many games encourage fast decisions. A game might show a countdown timer, a rare character skin, a “limited offer,” or a bundle that looks like a deal. That design can make kids feel rushed.
The FTC’s Kids and Video Games guidance specifically recommends parents ask whether a game manipulates kids into buying in-game purchases to succeed or avoid something bad happening in the game. The FTC also says parental controls can limit the amount of time and money a child spends playing a video game. [consumer.ftc.gov]
That is exactly why the conversation matters. You are not only preventing a purchase. You are teaching your child to pause before clicking.
How does this help someone become safer online?
This tip helps someone become safer online because it builds a key cybersecurity habit: stop, think, and verify before acting.
Kids who learn to question digital purchases also learn to question:
- Pop-ups that demand quick action
- “Free reward” links
- Fake giveaways
- In-game scams
- Pressure from strangers
- Requests to move chats off-platform
- Offers that sound too good to be true
The same skill that prevents an accidental currency purchase can also help a child avoid phishing, account theft, and social engineering later.
How big is the risk?
Accidental and unwanted game purchases are not rare. The FTC announced that it was sending more than $126 million in refunds to Fortnite players who were charged for unwanted purchases while playing the game, according to the agency’s FTC gaming enforcement update.
That statistic shows why families should treat in-game spending like a real financial safety issue, not just a gaming annoyance.
What should you say to your child before they play?
Keep the conversation short, calm, and specific.
Try this:
“Some games use fake money and real-money currency. If a button says buy, unlock, upgrade, bundle, pass, gems, coins, or limited offer, stop and ask me first. We will decide together.”
Then explain:
- Free rewards do not need a payment method
- Premium currency costs real money
- A saved card can be charged quickly
- Limited-time offers can pressure players
- No game item is worth hiding a purchase
- Asking first will never get them in trouble
How to prevent accidental in-game purchases
Use both conversation and controls. Do not rely on only one.
Step-by-step parent checklist
- Remove saved payment methods from gaming accounts when possible.
- Require a password or PIN for every purchase.
- Turn on spending limits for consoles, phones, tablets, and game accounts.
- Use child profiles instead of letting kids play on adult accounts.
- Review purchase history weekly for small charges.
- Use gift cards instead of credit cards for gaming budgets.
- Disable one-click purchases anywhere you can.
- Check each new game separately because every game handles currency differently.
The ESRB says parental controls are available for every device and can help parents block games by rating, set time limits, manage in-game purchases, and restrict internet access through its tools for parents. The ESRB also explains that parental controls can help manage what kids play, when they play, who they communicate with, and whether they can spend money. [esrb.org]
Why should you repeat this conversation for every game?
You should repeat this conversation for every game because each game uses different words, icons, stores, currencies, and pressure tactics. One game may call premium money “gems,” while another calls it “credits” or “tokens.”
Make this part of your family’s new-game routine:
- Look up the game rating.
- Check whether the game has in-game purchases.
- Review the store page together.
- Explain which currency costs real money.
- Set purchase controls before play starts.
- Agree on a monthly gaming budget, if any.
Talking to your child about in-game currency protects your wallet and teaches digital decision-making. Set clear rules, turn on purchase controls, and remind your child that asking before clicking is part of being smart online.
