New App Store regulations place further restrictions on real money gambling apps

This week Apple have updated their App Store Review Guidelines which are a set up of rules and regulations that developers must follow when they submit an app for approval. It now states that gambling companies “must have necessary licensing and permissions in the locations where the App is used, must be restricted to those locations, and must be free on the App Store” (20.5)

I dont' think this update will affect 888 or Bwin, who limit their poker apps to countries where they are legally allowed to operate. I think the big loser here might be PokerStars who have been promoting their app worldwide (except the US). They may now be forced to get licensing in every country first before they can continue doing this.

Thankfully, not all gambling apps are native iTunes App Store apps. There are a number of sportsbooks, United States friendly casinos and poker rooms who have opted to go down the HTML5 web app route so their apps do not require Apple's approval. If you have a web connection, you can browse to their websites and play, whenever or wherever you like.

TOP U.S. SPORTSBOOK APP - BOVADA.LV

TOP U.S. POKER/CASINO APP - IGNITIONCASINO.EU

 

It is quiet strange that PokerStars were able to offer a real money gambling app in most countries (except the United States) while other gambling companies were restricted to a handful of jurisdictions. Given PokerStars problems with the DOJ in the U.S., I would have thought Apple would have been very cautious about approving any of their apps.

 

For any U.S. players looking for a U.S. friendly real money poker app, we would recommend you try the Carbon app, which supports both Sit and Go tournaments and Texas Holdem ring games http://www.iphonebettingapps.com/carbon-united-states-mobile-poker.html

 

The Swedish government have recently asked Apple to remove all gambling apps from the App Store in a futile attempt to protect their monopoly of internet poker, sports betting and casino games in Sweden.

 

Bitcoin gambling apps are not permitted in Google Play or the Apple App Store.

Some progress is being made in the United States though. Sports betting operators like FanDuel and DraftKings have succeeded in getting listing on both the Android and iOS app market places.

 

A number of online sportsbooks, including William Hill and Ladbrokes have released bookmaker apps for Apple Watch so it appears that Apple do not have an issue with Apple Watch gambling apps in certain jurisdictions. Having said that I still haven't seen any poker or slots apps for the wearable device.