Apple makes a gaffe on App Store with gambling adverts

Apple ran in a bit of a trouble last week when the tech giant ended up promoting gambling apps, reportedly from shady backgrounds, alongside genuine applications found on its App Store. While the issue was found very quickly, and Apple moved rapidly to patch up the problem, the incident has caused an outcry with developers and consumers, Tech Crunch reported.

The issue was established by developers who were checking their products upon upload, approval, and publishing, and who noticed that there are strange apps proliferating the "you may also like" section of the shop. The ads though are not just harmless or trying to convert sports and casino fans into paying customers.

As security experts have warned, they could also constitute a malware threat. One of the problems reported on the platform was the appearance of side-by-side of RecoverMe, a prominent gambling addiction and help app, and Jackpot World, an app that focuses and offers online slots.

Apple has responded by restricting gambling advertisement related to "several categories," including slots. The problem was discovered fairly quickly but it also reflects on a change of policy in Apple as the company seeks to increase its revenue from advertisement and the App Store. As it tries to get there, it could be tempted to push harder at the expense of oversights, which while easy to fix on the spot, could still expose consumers to risks.

Apple is not the only technology giant to have come under the heavy blows of community criticism. Facebook and Google have both faced at one time or another backlash that they may be too lenient on companies and developers who seem to be pushing gambling content onto users, using said platforms and products.

Google, though, has been a hardliner against gambling advertisement. The tech giant has been controlling how such companies can present their products. In places like the United States, Google makes sure that no unlicensed gambling ads appear in individual jurisdictions. At the same time, the company has legalized sports gambling ads in places like New York.

Not all is bad, though. The Betting and Gaming Council, a prominent UK trade group, said that Facebook is making some steady efforts to address what it sees as problems with the proliferation of gambling advertisement on its social media platform, and how it has acted recently. Nevertheless, the risk of a rogue app or advertisement slipping through is an ever-present danger in online space.

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