- Joined
- Jan 14, 2008
- Messages
- 61,308
SOURCE
Apple dropped a bombshell last week when it announced iOS gambling apps now have to be built natively rather than as HTML container apps.
Building and maintaining container apps, otherwise known in tech circles as “wrappers,” rather than doing it natively is a cheaper and quicker way for gambling brands to deploy apps and gain access to Apple’s App Store.
But with the overwhelming majority of gambling apps essentially repurposed HTML5 products and websites, there is now a clamor to find solutions. This panic-inducing situation is made all the more urgent by the fact the Cupertino, Calif.-based tech behemoth has set a deadline of Sept. 3 for existing apps to adhere to the new rules.
Guideline 4.7 within the summary of the updated App Store Review Guidelines, published on June 3, states:
“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.”
How this affects gambling companies and players
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.
It seems likely that players with container apps already installed on their iOS devices will still be able to use them after Sept. 3, although Apple won’t approve future updates. Players also won’t be able to download and install container apps after this date as Apple will probably have banished them from its app emporium.
“It’s going to hurt a lot of people,” said Stuart Godfree, managing director and co-founder of gambling apps and software developer mkodo. “Rebuilding a game will take several months; just look at the size of the [games] portfolios that people have. It’s huge.”
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. “To port, an HTML5 game to be native in iOS will probably take about eight weeks,” said Godfree. “With a sportsbook, you are looking at half a year at the very least.”
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% of Sports Betting handle.
Apple dropped a bombshell last week when it announced iOS gambling apps now have to be built natively rather than as HTML container apps.
Building and maintaining container apps, otherwise known in tech circles as “wrappers,” rather than doing it natively is a cheaper and quicker way for gambling brands to deploy apps and gain access to Apple’s App Store.
But with the overwhelming majority of gambling apps essentially repurposed HTML5 products and websites, there is now a clamor to find solutions. This panic-inducing situation is made all the more urgent by the fact the Cupertino, Calif.-based tech behemoth has set a deadline of Sept. 3 for existing apps to adhere to the new rules.
Guideline 4.7 within the summary of the updated App Store Review Guidelines, published on June 3, states:
“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.”
How this affects gambling companies and players
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.
It seems likely that players with container apps already installed on their iOS devices will still be able to use them after Sept. 3, although Apple won’t approve future updates. Players also won’t be able to download and install container apps after this date as Apple will probably have banished them from its app emporium.
“It’s going to hurt a lot of people,” said Stuart Godfree, managing director and co-founder of gambling apps and software developer mkodo. “Rebuilding a game will take several months; just look at the size of the [games] portfolios that people have. It’s huge.”
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. “To port, an HTML5 game to be native in iOS will probably take about eight weeks,” said Godfree. “With a sportsbook, you are looking at half a year at the very least.”
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% of Sports Betting handle.
