What she forgot was that her credit card was attached to the account.
The statement said her son had continued to play the game in secret.
Kathrin Koerber, a legal expert with the state consumer body, said German law only allows for children to make purchases without parental permission within the limits of their pocket money – so in such cases, it is worth challenging the bill.
Following a letter sent to the company on her behalf, the bulk of the mother’s bill – 2,654.31 euros – was dropped, Koerber added.
She noted that it was common, particularly during the coronavirus lockdown, for parents to hand their smartphones over to children to keep them occupied.