The prevalence of smartphones all over the world has made it possible for millions of developers to come up with games that could prove to be highly engaging for a global audience. The medium through which they can reach their audience was first created by Apple. The App Store was a revolutionary idea that saw Apple regulating what apps iPhone users could download and use. Before long, plenty of apps came into existence, and gaming apps became one of the most popular as well as a lucrative category. One of the categories of gaming apps that have come up over the past few years are social gambling apps. In those apps, people can participate in traditional gambling games like poker, roulette, and blackjack, without actually staking actual money.
In the past, those games could be accessed by people who were below the age of 17, but today, Apple changed that particular law. If those social gambling apps are to stay on the Apple App Store, then they would need to ensure that people below the age of 17 are denied access. Considering the fact that these apps could lead to potential addiction to gambling for impressionable minds, it is, without a doubt, a prudent step from the tech giant. It goes without saying that it is a blow for many of the companies which believed that it could cater to a far larger audience as long as the games did not involve money. However, Apple has turned that rule on its head and decided to make it a rule across all markets.
The gambling sector has had a tough time with regulators all over the world, and many nations have campaigned to ensure that individuals below a certain age are denied access to such apps. Online casino apps have grown at a remarkable rate over the course of the last decade or so and currently represent an industry that is valued at hundreds of millions of dollars. More and more developers are now getting into this particular space due to the possibility of capturing an audience which is easily engrossed with these games. However, it remains to be seen if this particular move by Apple is replicated by Google’s Android or not. Android is the most popular operating system in the world, and if it replicates the move then it could be a bitter pill to swallow for many developers.
