Apple has continued its crackdown on online gambling by marking all gambling apps with a 17+ rating.
The policy was enforced on Tuesday (August 20) and announced to all Apple App Store developers on the same day in an email stating that apps which simulate gambling environments now require a 17+ rating.
According to rules, the policy will also apply to Apple apps marked as having “frequent” or “intense simulated gambling” and applies to all countries around the world.
All apps on the Apple App Store must comply with the new policy immediately or the apps will be removed from the store.
The move is part of Apple’s attempt to restrict the access of gambling apps to underage individuals and help make the App Store safer for children.
In the email to Apple App developers, the tech giant revealed that apps with one of the following content descriptions will also face a 17+ age rating, they include “Sexual content or nudity”, “Alcohol, tobacco, or drug use or reference” and finally “Realistic violence”.
This isn’t the first time Apple has made a move against gambling. The tech giant is currently issuing out its Apple Credit Card which cannot be used for gambling services. In addition, Apple recently ruled that HTML5 casino apps cannot appear on the Apple App Store from September 4th, only native wraps can be offered on the Store.
Due to the recent ruling, Bet365 announced to remove its sports betting app from the App Store despite being one of the most popular betting sites in the United Kingdom.
However, it isn’t just Apple that has launched a crackdown on gambling. The UK Gambling Commission is continually tightening regulations and rules to better protect customers.
The regulatory body recently launched new rules to change how operators interact with customers who are vulnerable or suffering from a gambling addiction. The Commission also launched its 12-week consultation on credit cards this week, looking to ban the payment method from being used at online casinos.
It also recently ruled that video game loot boxes can not be classed as gambling due to current UK laws. However, the firm said it’s ready to begin regulator should the current laws change.
Meanwhile, the UK Gambling Commission was forced to restate its commitment to reducing gambling harm after a study found that problem gamblers are more likely to consider and attempt to commit suicide.
