Earlier this week, you might have noticed many ads for gambling apps in the Apple App Store – some might have said too many. Gambling operators flooded the Today tab and the You Might Like section and, after two days of outcry from app developers, Apple has decided to put these ads on pause.
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Changes to the App Store Permitted New Ad Placements
It was on October 25th that Apple announced that new ad placements would be available in the app store. The idea was to give developers the opportunity to promote their apps more easily with placements on the main page, search results pages and product pages.
“Now with new Today tab and product page ad placements, you can drive discovery of your app in more moments across the App Store — when customers first arrive, search for something specific, and browse apps to download” – reads the announcement from Apple.
Influx of Gambling Ads in App Store
It didn’t take long for countless gambling ads to appear in the new positions on the app marketplace. They were placed in the You Might Like section of problem gambling apps, and even suggested for those browsing children’s educational apps.
However, it wasn’t just gambling ads that were appearing in places where they shouldn’t have been. For example, adult video chat apps and other adult-focused software were being placed in locations that weren’t appreciated by users as well as other app developers.
So, App Store users took to Twitter to make their concerns heard.
I went to Apple’s “Our Favorite Kids’ Apps” section of the App Store, selected an app, and got presented with an ad for gambling. Not okay, Apple. pic.twitter.com/F0WUENr9z5
— Simon B. Støvring (@simonbs) October 26, 2022
This is so severely messed up. Apple allows gambling apps to advertise against gambling addiction apps in the App Store. https://t.co/3Xt2Zmlvid
— Daniel Bentley 🦉 (@DJBentley) October 26, 2022
These App Store ads are something…
Reading? You might also like: Adult Video Chat
In Therapy for Addictions? You might also like: Gambling
Streaming Disney? You might also like: California Psychics
Improving your Marriage? You might also like: Hinge Dating pic.twitter.com/lMlgHT0AgK— Basic Apple Guy (@BasicAppleGuy) October 26, 2022
Apple’s Pause On Gambling App Ads
As of today, Apple will no longer permit gambling ads on its App Store. There is no word on how long this “pause” will last but we suspect that it will be quite a while before gambling apps reappear on the platform.
We understand the concerns of those who complained, and it would certainly be wise of Apple to give developers a lot more control about what kind of ads appear on their product pages or among search results in specific categories that they fall within. Another solution would be to allow users to opt-out of seeing ads from apps within certain categories.
This is a very interesting situation in the online gaming world, and we’ll be keeping a close eye on how things develop. We’ll be sure to keep you updated.
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Bethany has been working in online gambling for over 13 years. She got her start in the industry as her first job after graduating from the Professional Writing Program at York University. Having written for many online gaming publications and worked with top casino operators, she has unique insight into the gambling market. Bethany maintains a personal interest in iGaming as she continues to play poker online as a hobby.