The game has been created by Digital Arts Box, a Runcorn-based community interest company, as part of a project funded through Stop Loan Sharks using money seized from convicted illegal lenders.

Players can not only compete to try to beat the loan shark, but pupils will also get the chance to work on the back end of the game to change the characters and scenery, learning more about coding as they play.

Stop Loan Sharks has now launched a competition as part of Stop Loan Sharks Week 2026, which runs from Monday, May 11 to Sunday, May 17, inviting schools to submit their pupils’ versions of the game with Amazon vouchers up for prizes for the best adaptation.

In the Under 16s category, the pupil who creates the winning version will get a £50 Amazon voucher, with a second £50 Amazon voucher going to the school. In the Over 16s category, the winner will receive a £100 voucher. The deadline for submissions in June 30, 2026.

Dave Benbow, head of the England Illegal Money Lending Team, the official name for Stop Loan Sharks, welcomed the game as a great way to help the next generation learn more about the dangers of illegal lending.

He said: “In the game, players quickly learn how a loan shark’s tactics work - adding charge after charge until you’re trapped in debt, with no realistic way to escape. It’s a fun, simple way to explain how illegal lenders operate, while also giving young people the chance to learn about computer coding and personalise the game themselves.

“In real life, loan sharks don’t always look like villains. They change their approach, switch tactics and reinvent themselves - just like characters in an online game. But this isn’t a game, and the consequences are very real. Our aim is simple: To make it game over for loan sharks.”

The game has already been trialled with pupils at schools in Wirral and Stoke-on-Trent, where pupils gave it a big thumbs up.

Caroline Lewis, assistant principal at Star Academy in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, said: “Our pupils had a fabulous afternoon learning about financial education through a fun interactive way using coding – computing is definitely the way to capture children's attention.

“The pupils all had fun and could articulate the message about loan sharks and illegal money lending. Thank you to all involved.”

Grace Williams, a Year 5 teacher at Heygarth Primary in Eastham, Wirral, added: “It was a highly engaging, informative session where children were immersed in a hands-on learning opportunity by playing the game.

“They came away from the session clear in their understanding of illegal money lenders and how to make smart, safe decisions.”

Sean O’Hare, director of Digital Arts Box, added: “We created the game to bring an important issue to life in a way that feels engaging and relatable for a wide audience.

“Topics like loan sharks can sometimes feel distant or difficult to understand, so by using an interactive format, we’re helping players follow a story and explore realistic scenarios in a safe and accessible way.

“The game has been designed for both young people and adults, with the aim of encouraging conversations across different age groups and helping raise awareness more widely within communities.

“Another key part of the project is giving people the opportunity to go a step further and make the game their own.

“Alongside the game, we’re sharing resources online that show how the assets and code can be edited, allowing others to adapt the experience, build on it creatively, and use it in ways that are meaningful to them.

“We hope the game raises awareness, encourages conversations, and helps people feel more informed and empowered to stay safe.”

Councillor Ian Blades, Middlesbrough Council’s Executive member for Neighbourhoods, said: “Loan sharks are a scourge on communities up and down the country, trapping the vulnerable in ever-deepening spirals of debt, intimidation and misery.

“That’s why we need to equip people from as young an age as possible with the knowledge and tools to protect themselves from this kind of cruel exploitation.

“This game can make a real difference in helping to turn the tables on these parasites, and I’m sure young people will have their own creative ideas to make it even more powerful and effective.

“Stop Loan Sharks Week is an important reminder that by working together we can put these vultures out of business.”

To access the game, go to www.stoploansharks.co.uk/game-over-for-loan-sharks

There is a link to access the games as well as instruction videos and details of the competition and prizes available.

A loan shark, or illegal lender, is someone who lends money and adds charges without having the necessary authorisation from the Financial Conduct Authority.

Because they don’t follow the FCA rules, they can make up the terms and conditions and can use threats and intimidation to make people pay.

The warning signs include being given no paperwork, paying back much more than you borrowed and being threatened or pressured if you miss a payment.

The IMLT is a national body hosted by Birmingham City Council, set up to investigate and prosecute loan sharks and support borrowers. The team has helped tens of thousands of people escape loan sharks and brought hundreds of illegal lenders to justice.

• If you or someone you know is affected by a loan shark, you can contact Stop Loan Sharks in confidence, 24 hours a day, on 0300 555 2222. There is also a WhatsApp service available from 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday on 07700 102773.

Visit www.stoploansharks.co.uk for more information and other ways to get in touch, including a Live Chat facility.