Apple has temporarily stopped showing gambling apps in its App Store while it reevaluates its policies on such applications. This move comes after the company was criticized for allowing a gambling app to remain on its store even after it had been found to be in violation of several of Apple’s own policies. The app, called “Lucky Cash Slots Casino,” was eventually removed from the App Store after the BBC contacted Apple about it. But, as of now, there is no indication that Apple will be changing its policy for other gambling apps that are currently on its store.
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Apple halts ads for gambling apps
Apple has temporarily halted showing ads for gambling apps on its App Store. The move comes after the company was criticized for featuring such ads in its store.
It is not clear how long the halt will last, but Apple said in a statement that it is “reevaluating” its policies regarding gambling apps. The company added that it wants to ensure that all apps in its store are “safe and reliable.”
The decision to halt ads for gambling apps follows criticism from lawmakers and other officials in the U.S. and UK who have called on Apple to remove such ads from its store. In particular, they have raised concerns about the potential for children to be exposed to gambling through these ads.
Apple has come under pressure in recent years to better police the content of its App Store. In 2017, the company was criticized for allowing a fake version of WhatsApp to remain in its store, even after it had been flagged by security researchers.
Why Apple did this
As of late, Apple has been scrambling to pull together a coherent response to allegations of monopoly abuse levelled against it by Epic Games. One small part of that response has been to temporarily halt showing ads for gambling apps on the App Store.
Apple’s reasoning for this is likely two-fold. For one, the company is no doubt concerned about the potential for negative PR if it were to continue running ads for gambling apps while simultaneously being accused of monopolistic behaviour.
More importantly, however, Apple is likely anticipating that gambling apps will soon be subject to increased regulation in the United States. By halting its own advertising for such apps, Apple can position itself as being proactive in helping to protect users from potential harm.
Of course, it’s also possible that Apple is simply using this as a bargaining chip in its ongoing battle with Epic Games. By demonstrating that it’s willing to make some concessions, Apple may be hoping to placate regulators and avoid more serious action being taken against it.
How this affects gambling app developers
App Store gambling apps are not currently being shown any ads. This is a temporary measure while Apple works on addressing some concerns with these types of apps.
For gambling app developers, this means that any ad campaigns that were relying on App Store traffic will be impacted. This could be a significant blow to developers who were counting on this channel to help promote their app.
Apple has not said how long this suspension of advertising for gambling apps will last. In the meantime, developers will need to look for other ways to reach potential users and generate downloads.
What other steps Apple is taking to limit gambling app exposure
Apple is taking a number of steps to limit gambling app exposure on the App Store. In addition to temporarily halting ads for gambling apps, the company is also removing some apps from the App Store that facilitate online gambling. Apple is also working with regulators in a number of countries to ensure that gambling apps comply with local laws.
Conclusion
Apple’s decision to temporarily halt showing ads for gambling apps on the App Store will likely have little impact on the overall number of gambling apps available. However, it does signal a potential change in how Apple deals with gambling-related content in the future. This could mean more stringent requirements for developers who want to include gambling-related content in their apps, or it could simply be a way for Apple to reduce the amount of clutter in its App Store listings. Either way, it’s worth keeping an eye on how this policy develops over time.
