Italy vs. Activision: What European Scrutiny of In‑Game Purchases Means for Parents in Dhaka

Worried your child will run up a big bill playing a “free” mobile game? You’re not alone — and the latest European probe into Activision may help.

Parents in Dhaka face a fast-changing mobile gaming landscape: cheap smartphones, shared devices, and apps designed to keep kids playing and spending. In early 2026 Italy’s competition authority launched investigations into Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard, accusing two blockbuster mobile titles — Diablo Immortal and Call of Duty: Mobile — of misleading and aggressive monetization practices. Those inquiries focus on design elements that push players, including minors, toward repeated in‑game purchases. While the probe is European, the implications are global: platform policies, app behaviour and refunds can change everywhere — including Dhaka.

What the Italy investigation alleges — and why it matters

In January 2026 the Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM) opened two cases against Activision Blizzard, citing tactics that can influence consumers to spend more than intended. Key allegations include:

• Design to extend playtime and increase chance of spending (timers, event pressure, social mechanics encouraging competition).
• Unclear value of virtual currency — bundles and exchange rates that make costs opaque.
• Promotions and time-limited offers creating fear of missing out (FOMO), especially effective on younger players.

“These practices … may influence players as consumers — including minors — leading them to spend significant amounts, sometimes exceeding what is necessary … without being fully aware of the expenditure involved.” — AGCM, Jan 2026

Why this matters for Dhaka parents: regulators in Europe are pushing app makers and platforms to increase transparency and consumer safeguards. That pressure has already led to platform-level changes in previous years — such as clearer loot box disclosures and limits on certain monetization mechanics — and could ripple into global app-store rules. Parents in Bangladesh can use these changes to demand better protection for local children, and in the meantime take immediate practical steps to protect their families.

How predatory in‑game monetization works — a quick primer

Understanding the mechanics is the first defence. Predatory tactics are often subtle and can be explained in plain terms:

• Loot boxes & randomized rewards: Players buy chances at rewards — similar to gambling mechanics.
• Variable‑ratio reinforcement: Random rewards that make players come back repeatedly.
• FOMO mechanics: Limited-time events, countdowns and exclusive items that pressure immediate spending.
• Opaque currency: Games sell bundles of virtual tokens with poor conversion clarity, hiding the real cost.
• Social pressure: Gifting, leaderboards and clan mechanics encourage kids to match peers’ purchases.

Why Dhaka is particularly vulnerable

Several local factors make these tactics especially risky for families in Dhaka:

• High smartphone penetration with low-cost devices — most Android phones lack advanced parental controls out of the box.
• Shared devices — one parent’s account and saved payment methods are often accessible to multiple children.
• Language barriers — many global games use English or non‑Bengali UI that confuses parents about what purchases do.
• Mobile financial services (MFS) ubiquity — quick top-ups via bKash, Nagad or Rocket can be tapped into for in‑app spending without strong safeguards.
• Limited public awareness — parents may not know how to ask for refunds or lodge complaints with app stores or local regulators.

Practical, step‑by‑step protections for Dhaka parents

Below are concrete actions you can take now, grouped by technical controls, payment controls and family rules. Start with the ones you can do today.

Device and app-store settings — Android (most common) and iPhone

Android (Google Play)

1. Open the Google Play Store → Menu → Settings → Authentication. Turn on “Require authentication for purchases” and select For all purchases through Google Play on this device. Use a strong PIN/password parents control.
2. Remove saved payment methods: Play Store → Payment methods → More payment methods → Remove cards and saved accounts you don’t want accessible.
3. Use Google Play Family Link: set up a child account with spending limits and purchase approvals. Family Link also restricts app installs by age rating.
4. Create a separate parent account for purchases; do not share passwords with children.
5. Disable in-app purchases for specific apps if supported, or uninstall games you don’t want on children’s devices.

iPhone (iOS)

1. Settings → Screen Time → Content & Privacy Restrictions → iTunes & App Store Purchases → set In-app Purchases to Don’t Allow.
2. Require Always Require for purchases: Settings → Face ID/Touch ID & Passcode → require passcode for purchases.
3. Use Family Sharing: create a child account and enable Ask to Buy so each purchase requires parental approval.
4. Remove payment cards from the child’s Apple ID; use parent’s account with Ask to Buy instead.

Payment controls — banks, bKash/Nagad/Rocket, cards and top‑ups

Many disputes stem from accessible payment methods. Take these steps:

• Remove or limit stored cards in Google Play, Apple ID, and on devices your children use.
• Use prepaid gift cards (Google Play or Apple gift vouchers) and load only a small balance; this caps spending and avoids linking a bank or card.
• Talk to your bank and MFS provider (bKash, Nagad, Rocket) about transaction alerts and blocks for digital goods. Many providers can block or flag recurring or unusual charges.
• Use separate payment channels: keep a small allowance-loaded card for kids with strict purchase limits and monitoring.

Reacting to unauthorized charges — immediate steps

1. Document the charge: screenshots from the app and the payment receipt from your bank or MFS provider.
2. Contact the app store immediately: Google Play and Apple have refund processes (report a problem → request refund). Act quickly — time windows vary.
3. Contact your bank or MFS provider to dispute the charge and request a block or chargeback if fraudulent.
4. If the app vendor doesn’t cooperate, file a complaint with local authorities (see resources below) and with your app store’s consumer complaint channel.

How to talk to children about in‑game purchases

Technology controls help, but conversation matters most. Make a plan with your child and follow through:

• Explain the model: Tell them “free” games can still cost money in small pieces — and that those small pieces add up.
• Set a clear budget: Give a monthly allowance for games and agree what it covers. Use a prepaid card or gift balance to make limits real.
• Create a family spending agreement: No purchases without parental permission; breaking the rule results in loss of gaming privileges for a set time.
• Teach to recognise manipulative designs: Alerts, countdowns and flashy “limited offers” are marketing, not emergencies.
• Use gaming time for social learning: Play together occasionally to see mechanics and discuss costs openly.

Refunds, reporting and escalation — what works in 2026

Regulatory attention in 2025–26 is making it easier to secure refunds and raise complaints. Here’s how to escalate effectively from Dhaka:

1. Start with the app store refund tools. Provide proof (screenshots, transaction IDs).
2. If the store refuses, contact your payment provider for chargeback/dispute. Bangladesh banks and MFS providers usually have dispute mechanisms — keep communication records.
3. File a complaint with the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) under the Ministry of Commerce; they handle consumer disputes in Bangladesh.
4. If billing occurred via mobile operator premium services, contact the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) for billing complaints.
5. Report predatory apps to Google/Apple and publicise the issue in local parent groups and social media to build community pressure.

What the Italy probe means for future protections — a 2026 view

The AGCM investigation is part of a broader regulatory trend in 2025–26: authorities in Europe and elsewhere are no longer treating in‑game monetization as a purely commercial choice. Expect three likely outcomes that will benefit parents globally:

• Greater transparency: clearer pricing, explicit conversion rates for virtual currency and upfront disclosure of the expected cost to progress.
• Platform-level controls: Google and Apple may standardise age-based purchase restrictions, default stricter authentication and stronger refunds for minors.
• Regulatory limits: Some jurisdictions could restrict loot boxes or require age verification for certain purchases, following precedents from earlier bans in some European countries.

Even if these changes originate in Europe, platform policy updates typically roll out globally — which is why European probes matter to parents in Dhaka.

Local resources and who to contact

Use these local and international resources when you need help:

• Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) — for consumer complaints in Bangladesh.
• Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) — for issues involving mobile operator billing and premium services.
• Bangladesh Bank — contact for disputes related to mobile financial services (bKash, Nagad, Rocket) and for guidance on transaction disputes.
• Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB) — for advocacy and consumer education.
• App store dispute pages: Google Play “Report a problem” and Apple’s “Report a Problem” are the fastest routes for refunds.

Practical checklist — do these in the next 48 hours

1. Remove stored payment methods from children’s devices and enable purchase authentication.
2. Set up Google Family Link or iOS Family Sharing with Ask to Buy for every child account.
3. Load small prepaid balances (gift cards) instead of linking bank cards.
4. Talk to children about money, and make a written family gaming rule.
5. Enable transaction alerts with your bank/MFS to spot unexpected charges fast.

Beyond control: build financial literacy and critical thinking

Controls are short-term shields. The long-term solution is education. Teach children how digital economies work, the risks of microtransactions and how marketing aims to trigger emotions like urgency and envy. Schools and community groups in Dhaka can integrate basic digital financial literacy into curriculum or after-school programs — a small time investment that pays off years later.

Final takeaways — what parents in Dhaka should remember

• Italy’s probe of Activision is a wake-up call: regulators are paying attention to in-game monetization practices that target minors.
• You have tools and rights: device settings, app-store controls, bank/MFS dispute processes and government consumer agencies are available in Bangladesh.
• Act now: remove stored payment methods, enable parental controls, and teach your children about digital spending.
• Stay informed: global regulatory changes in 2026 may strengthen safeguards worldwide — your voice in local complaints and parent communities helps shape those outcomes.

Protecting children from predatory in‑game purchases is both a technical and a cultural challenge. The Italy vs. Activision investigations show regulators will increasingly press game makers and platforms to be accountable. For Dhaka parents, that means short-term vigilance and long-term education. Start with the 48‑hour checklist above, talk with your family tonight, and consider joining local parent groups to push for broader protections.

Call to action

Take one step today: Remove stored payment methods from any device your child uses and enable purchase authentication. If you’ve already faced an unauthorized charge, document the transaction, contact your app store and your bank/MFS provider, and file a complaint with the DNCRP. Stay connected — sign up for dhakatribune.xyz alerts for the latest local guidance on tech, kids and consumer protection.

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