This research is based on online and in-person semi-structured interviews of young video games players living in Italy and in Australia. The considered sample is made up by 20 participants (10 for each country) who played video games portraying members or enforcers of the Mafia as main characters, such as Mafia II, The Godfather, and Grand Theft Auto IV. Such video games have been often object of moral panic campaigns in Italy and in Australia. Participants were asked to describe their gaming experiences and what they like of these video games. Participants have been recruited through hybrid snowballing process, which relied on digital spaces and on offline and online networking. Italian and Australian video games players consider themselves as gamers: they are passionate with gaming cultures and possess skills, knowledge, and experience in this field. The collected data show that participants: 1) like simulating crimes that they would not do in real like; 2) stress the difference between real world and gaming simulation. In the majority of cases, the interviewees noted that, especially when they were younger, playing as criminals in video games gave them a feeling of power. However, participants were very careful in discussing ethical limits of in-game sessions and the ones between real world and simulation. Furthermore, Italian participants often underscored that they don’t have any sympathy for Italian organised crime, although they would like to play as a member of Mafia organisations.