Lootlock protects kids from overspending on gaming and will be presenting at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025

Nick Pompa, founder Loot – An app that prevents children from operating unauthorized gaming bills on their parents’ credit cards – it is a interested gamer and software developer working on Fintech.

As a father of the two, he is waiting to share his emotions with his children as he grows older. He started gaming at the age of 6, he told TechCrunch. The lootle was selected for 2025 of TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200 And it appears Disrupted TechCrunchFrom 27 to 29 October in San Francisco.

When he gabs about gaming with other parents, or simply read the news, he heard the kid’s horrible story with their parents Surprise Credit Card BillEver Thousands of dollarsThe

The Gaming Industry Customer has a notorious thin side of use as “Design Strategies” as the Bureau of Customer Financial Protection Bureau Described last year. They often target the kids, unlock the features of their fee-incroning games. Other agencies have issued like FTC AlertThe

“The gaming industry is using Clever Design, Social Engineering and Player Tracking to encourage kids to spend more money while playing children,” Pompa said. “I am an interested gamer, so I have seen the strict change in the industry for the last eight to nine years in the industry.”

Although the FTC had forced to return by force at the beginning of this year Those who filed the claim of $ 126 million, It’s rare There is no shelter other than parents usually pay.

The general suggestion is to use device-level parent controls for parents that block app purchases. However, Pompa said many of his parents are good to spend some money on this national purchase in the right situation.

He told the story of a friend named Joe that inspired Pompa to make a loot. Joe is the father of three kids, all interested gamers. Joe gives each child an allowance every month and the kids were using this money to buy gaming products, setting up a ridiculous system where he paid their allowance cash and they returned it to pay credit cards. And he had to observe their purchase closely.

Lukel allows parents to automatically load a lootal, a digital, prepaid credit card issued by transcard that children add to their device’s digital wallet.

Parents can automate a prescribed amount of allowance to add to the card, say weekly or monthly, and then any part is not available immediately. For example, the baby can unlock further as they complete their tasks. Parents can allow growth on the card through a text message.

“We are giving parents super granular control about how we can spend and when their kids can spend their children,” Pompa said.

Lootlock is also a gaming work with an impending feature, known as “Grace Board” in October. Parents set up these boards that are basically a list of children’s jobs. As the kids complete them – they are cleaning their houses, pets, etc. – they earn a “grace”. And when they hit any marginal edge of a parent’s set, the app will unlock additional allowance to spend the app.

There is also a gammified financial education material. Children choose an avatar and they practice good expenditure habits, such as their looted dashboard that tell their account balances, they earn points that add to equipment for their avatar: sword and armor.

“We are tied to the concept of a video game,” Pompa said.

Loot Balances are also limited to simply spending on gaming products and cannot be used for other purchases on the Internet. So parents do not need to closely monitor what kind of items they are buying online. The idea now is to concentrate on teaching children responsible gaming.

The startup currently hires seven people and fully bootstrap.

If you want to learn from the first loot and make a few dozen additional pitch, valuable workshops and make connections that drives the results of the business, Go here to learn more about this year’s disruptionHeld in San Francisco from 27 to 29 October.