Italian regulator opens probes into Activision Blizzard mobile sales practices

Italy’s competition watchdog has opened two formal investigations into Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard unit, alleging misleading and aggressive commercial practices tied to the company’s free-to-play mobile titles Diablo Immortal and Call of Duty Mobile. The regulator said the conduct may violate consumer protection law and fall short of the professional diligence required in a sector highly sensitive to the risks of developing gambling addiction.

The regulator, which also oversees consumer rights, announced the probes from Milan on Jan. 16, 2026. Each investigation focuses on sales and commercial engagement mechanisms used in one of the two named games, and both examine a range of business practices that, the agency said, could harm consumers including minors.

Officials singled out incentives to buy extra content presented during gameplay and outside sessions, as well as the use of in-app messages and push notifications to prompt purchases. The watchdog flagged virtual currencies that players purchase with real money or earn in-game, noting these systems can lead users to spend substantial sums—sometimes without fully realizing the total cost. It also raised concerns about default parental control settings and the presentation of contractual information, which the regulator said appears to lead players to unknowingly waive rights.

Investigators are examining account-management practices as well. The watchdog pointed to a lack of effective options for players to challenge the blocking of gaming accounts, warning that such blocks can result in the loss of money invested in digital content. The regulator described those potential losses as potentially substantial.

The probe frames the issues in both consumer-protection and public-health terms. By highlighting the sector’s vulnerability to gambling-addiction risks, the agency is signaling that regulators will scrutinize monetization models that use persuasive, repeated prompts and layered virtual-currency systems to drive spending. The regulator’s focus on minors reflects growing concern among European authorities and child-safety advocates about children’s exposure to microtransactions and targeted messaging within games.

The announcement follows earlier European regulatory scrutiny of Microsoft’s acquisition efforts. Regulators in the European Union and elsewhere examined Microsoft’s roughly $69 billion bid for Activision Blizzard in 2022, raising questions about competition and market access. The Italian probes, however, are squarely about consumer protection and commercial conduct rather than merger clearance.

Microsoft’s communications teams did not immediately comment on the opening of the formal probes. The investigations will now proceed through the regulator’s administrative process, during which officials can request documents, summon company representatives and seek remedies if they conclude the practices contravene Italian law.

The cases underscore a larger regulatory trend across Europe in which consumer authorities are turning attention to the business models of free-to-play games. As mobile gaming revenues grow and industry techniques for monetizing attention become more sophisticated, regulators are increasingly weighing whether existing consumer laws adequately protect players—and whether new rules are needed to curb aggressive monetization that may hurt vulnerable users.