Posted in Industry September 9, 2018
Apple Cracks Down on Gambling Apps in AppStore China: 2,500 Casualties so Far
Apple has removed approximately 2,500 illegal lottery and gambling apps from its China App Store branch. However, there have been reports that over 25,000 gambling apps were inappropriately removed, making it hard to determine the accuracy of the information. Regardless, the removal of such illegal apps can have positive consequences for China’s gambling industry. Gambling is illegitimate in China, so the crackdown was inevitable. The Chinese government has complained about the ongoing presence of potential loop-holes for developers to exploit in program design. Among the apps removed were 500 that related to fake lottery tickets, highlighting the prevalence of scams and fraud throughout the industry. Norway has already requested and received an App Store purge to protect its citizens. This move represents an important step in curbing fraud throughout the mobile gambling industry. While legal gambling markets are growing across the world, illegal black markets must also be addressed so that players are protected from scams and potential physical harm. It remains to be seen how this situation will develop, with Apple likely to continue cleaning up its platform.
