More bad news for online poker, casino, and sports betting services, particularly those that seek formal licensure in the U.S. and other markets.

https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=06032019j

Guideline 4.7. HTML5 games distributed in apps may not provide access to real money gaming, lotteries, or charitable donations, and may not support digital commerce. This functionality is only appropriate for code that’s embedded in the binary and can be reviewed by Apple. This guideline is now enforced for new apps. Existing apps must follow this guideline by September 3, 2019.

This news isn't directly tied to the DOJ Wire Act re-interpretation thread, but threatens to have a meaningful impact on new business generation for all forms of online gambling, not only in the U.S., but worldwide.

Here are some quotes from an article published by OPR today that covers the anticipated Apple Store crackdown for online gambling apps.

https://www.onlinepokerreport.com/37...gambling-apps/

"Looking at the guidelines in full point 4.7.4 applies to “real money gaming,” which according to Apple’s definition refers to sports betting, poker games, casino games and horse racing. Therefore, it would appear those with iOS apps with any or all of these gambling products will be impacted."

"Indeed, mobile casinos tend to have hundreds of HTML5 table games and slot games third-party suppliers that will have to be re-written in under three months, which is nigh on impossible."

"Based on that estimation, online sportsbooks with iOS apps in US states where mobile betting is legal could see their apps vanish from the App Store ahead of the 2019 NFL season, which starts on Sept. 5. That will be a big blow in states like New Jersey where mobile accounts for around 80 percent of sports betting handle."
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I don't think mobile usage for online poker is that (i.e. "80 percent") dominant currently, but it's still vitally important for new business generation in regulated markets, online poker or otherwise. This will be a huge blow if Apple actively enforces its announced incoming policy, which it has already started doing for new apps.

One can just go to the poker website (such as wsop.com) and download/install the poker client from there. I have an android phone and it doesn't look like I can get real money apps thru the Google Play store either. This doesn't seem like a big deal to me, you don't need the OS app stores to download things to your phone, it just makes it easier.

Harder on iOS without a jailbroken phone or another workaround. It is a serious issue given thats 20%+ of the global phone marketshare.

This is a huge deal for Apple users.

Of course it's not a big deal for you, or many of us. OP is suggesting it could have a negative impact ob the growth of online gambling apps, and I'd say that seems very possible. "just makes it easier" is actually very important when you want to see the market grow with new players.

I tried what you just said on my iPhone and I couldn’t figure it out. The only way I know how to get apps on my phone is through the App Store. Anything that makes it harder for players to get the app means less new players will start playing on the app which is bad for poker

To clarify:

Google has historically not permitted any forms of real money gambling apps in the Play store. However, apps downloaded out-of-store can be installed with a simple toggle in settings. So operators just offer app downloads on their website; not ideal (still some friction, not discoverable in store), but ok.

(Google's position on this is, however, shifting - they permit RMG apps in the app store in UK, France and, weirdly, Ireland, on a trial dating back 18 months).

Apple iOS has historically permitted real money gambling apps in countries with clear regulated online gambling markets. They do not permit out-of-store installs on iPhones; to do so, the phone has to be jailbroken. 95% (my guess) of iPhone users do not (and do not want) to jailbreak their phone). If you want someone using your app, you have to get it into the Apple store, your only other route is just offering games in a browser.

And now, they will not permit HTML5 wrapped-games for real money gambling, which is a problem as it is used heavily in online casino (less so poker).

Apple kinda suck balls anyways, always been over priced, non compatible, nickel and dime a costumer type of place. I hear you can get a real nice monitor stand for 1k from them LOL.

It’s also not a really big deal to circumvent bans of payment processors. But it’s big enough to basically kill it for Average Joe.

Pretty sure >80% of Android and >95% of iOS users have never installed an app that didn’t come from their respective store. The vast majority of those won’t start doing that for a gambling app.

So you clearly won't care about having those poker players with large disposable incomes to spend on overpriced phones not being able to play at your tables. Sounds good!

-BD

But what about all the "free" gaming apps that have in-game real money purchases for virtual loot, currency, upgrades etc. that are allowed in App store? Parents run into addiction money problems with their kids when finding out their credit card bills explode due to these so called "virtual expenditures". It seems to me imho there is a double standard hypocrisy going on here like Sheldy being concerned about morality of gambling online but not so as long as it is in his casinos where he can still profit.

Addressing this and other "free-to-play" mobile games that cover transacting "something of value" or "pay-to-win" mechanisms is in the pipeline.

https://www.hawley.senate.gov/sites/...-Bill-Text.pdf (U.S. Senate Bill -- draft proposal)

"America, the land of the free."


lmao its like a giant prison country where some 80 year old white ****scab forces you how to spend your money. sickening

Will Disney flip/offload its clear online gambling interests (i.e. licensing rights to Electronic Arts titles that prominently feature micro-transactions, the corporation's clear links to tribal gambling interests in Florida, blah-blah)? Or double-down on its alliance/stance with the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) that has been traveling around the country since Hawaii state congressman Chris Lee originally took action in November 2017?

VIDEO: Chris Lee YouTube Channel



https://www.wired.com/story/disney-e...rts-star-wars/

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opin...813-story.html
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VIDEO: Devin Nash YouTube Channel

"liberty"

Good question(s). Don't know. But more importantly and better yet - very hilarious. It is like Doc Holiday played by Val Kilmer in movie, Tombstone (best western imho btw) said - "Hypocrisy has no bounds."

Doesn't seem like a big deal to me. If poker "apps" now are just a wrapper around a web page, then they could offer the exact same functionality with a PWA (Progressive Web App). Would behave exactly like an app and is outside the app store.

And if the poker app is actually native code, then it seems like Apple doesn't have a problem with it, which makes no sense to me but whatever

In NJ if your phone is jailbroken, the geolocation services won't work.

Industry pumping big $$$ into politics to get their online competition banned. That's how it works in every country. They want you to have a great time in Vegas and give them all your money and not give it to some offshore online company. That's also why black friday happened btw...but you probably all know that already

Does this impact sites like Draft Kings as well?

Hey! I'm Irish and only slightly weird

I know you're probably thinking why dafuq Ireland. Ireland and the UK have very similar gambling laws,I believe dating back to the 70's to incentivise foreign investors in the bloodstock/horse racing Industry amongst other things.

We also have no taxes on gambling profits even our national lottery and i'm pretty sure the UK's too,you keep the Jackpot all to yourself!

I have an iphone myself but very rarely use it for poker,maybe the odd sports betting,however I know guys that only play on their phones so it is indeed a problem.

Reason why i say weird is that Ireland has recently introduced online sports betting regulation, but nothing for online poker or casino. So products in Ireland for other forms of gambling still serve the market with offshore licenses. So it's just not a clear "white" regulated market, like France or the UK (or Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Portugal... the list is quite long)