The online gaming company Nvinium Games Inc. is installing a payments service that lets parents set limits on how much their children can spend.
The service, Virtual Piggy, was developed by Moggle Inc., a technology company in Philadelphia, and processes major credit and debit card brands. Once a parent has set up a profile, the child can make purchases under the preset limits. Moggle Chairman Jo Webber said in a press release Tuesday that the service gives parents and merchants "comfort through a safe and secure transaction."
Nvinium Games co-founder Frank Westall said in the release that Virtual Piggy provides a "secure parent-approved payment option for our players under 18."
In-game sales have become a thorny issue after reports that some games allowed kids to make purchases that their parents did not authorize.
