Apple has halted App Store gambling advertisements in response to developer outrage

According to a statement from spokesman Trevor Kincaid, Apple has “paused advertising linked to gambling and a few other categories on App Store product pages” after developers and critics protested the sorts of adverts appearing in the iPhone’s App Store.

Apple revealed on Tuesday that businesses may promote their applications on store pages for other apps by including their symbol in the “you might also enjoy” area. Almost immediately, developers began displaying instances of advertisements for gambling applications being promoted inside their apps.

One Twitter user shows a slot machine app being advertised alongside gambling addiction recovery apps, and there are examples of other betting apps being advertised on pages for apps aimed at children, adult video chat apps showing up on the Apple Books page, and dating apps being placed under apps designed to improve existing relationships.

Apple hasn’t said how long the delay will remain or if it would make any policy adjustments depending on how the first deployment went. It is also unknown whether additional ad categories have been halted.

Apple’s App Store advertising standards classify applications connected to gambling, alcohol, dating, and the pharmaceutical and medical industries as “restricted,” implying that there are additional restrictions on where they may be shown. The restrictions are based on regulations rather than what is appropriate or possibly damaging; the site states that gambling applications are “prohibited or restricted in certain nations and areas,” but says nothing about who may use them.

How Apple proceeds might have a significant impact on the iPhone’s future. According to reports, it intends to extend advertising outside the App Store to applications including Apple Maps, Podcasts, and Books. Consider finding a casino while searching for addiction rehabilitation programs, or sexual novels when seeking literature on coping with a porn addiction.

The good news for Apple is that other firms have been working on this issue and can steal ideas from them if they are not too proud to do so. For example, Google allows you to restrict the quantity of advertising you see regarding potentially sensitive issues such as alcohol, gambling, dating, pregnancy, and weight loss. Apple talks a big game about how the App Store is a secure place to acquire software on your phone, and it needs to keep that image (despite the numerous ways it’s previously failed to prove it).