Apple App Store Says Comply Or Die To NJ Online Casino Apps
Right now, iPhone users can download any number of NJ online casino and NJ sports betting apps from the Apple App Store. However, that may change come early September.
The App Store released new Review Guidelines in June saying all real-money gaming apps must be redesigned specifically for iPhone’s iOS platform by Sept. 3 or face removal from the store.
Currently, the majority of the NJ online casino and NJ sports betting apps available on the Apple App Store are HTML 5 coded versions that are not natively designed for the iOS platform.
Adapt or die
The new guidelines will ultimately force NJ real-money gaming operators to change that or lose access to the approximately 40% of smartphone users who own an iPhone.
Specifically, the App Store Review Guidelines June 3 update says:
“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.”
That means existing NJ online casino and NJ sports betting operators must redesign their apps specifically for iOS. Plus, operators will need to submit the redesigns for App Store approval by Sept. 3. It also means operators must design all new NJ online casino and NJ sports betting apps for iOS if they want the apps to be available for download on the App Store.
Existing iOS users OK
Existing iOS users should still be able to access the NJ online casino and NJ sports betting apps after Sept. 3. However, they will not be able to update the apps until the operators comply. Plus, the App Store will not permit new downloads.
The Sept. 3 date is significant for NJ sports betting apps because it is just two days before the NFL season kicks off on Sept. 5. NJ gamblers bet more money on football than any other sport. Moreover, NJ sports betting apps expect more new sign-ups during the NFL season than any other time of the year.
The new guidelines as a whole are also quite significant for NJ sports betting operators. New Jersey gamblers make 80% of all their bets on mobile devices. Plus, there are many more iOS devices in play than Android.
Apple App Store compliance
That said, NJ online casino and integrated sportsbook and casino apps may have even more trouble complying with the new guidelines. The App Store is forcing operators to specifically design all aspects of the apps for the iOS platform. This presumably includes all individual casino games.
The App Store has given NJ online casino and NJ sports betting operators three months to comply with the new guidelines. They are now on the clock.