Apple asks Indian govt for a ‘concrete reason’ to remove betting apps from App Store: Report

Apple has asked Indian officials for a 'concrete reason or a legal requirement' to take down betting or gambling apps from its App Store, reported Economic Times. Back in February, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) had ordered iPhone makers to remove betting apps on the App Store making them unavailable in India altogether. Apple has not refused to comply, but has told the ministry that it cannot 'arbitrarily' take them down.

Apple says that removing the betting apps can be difficult in India as they are valid and permitted in other nations. Apple has been asked by the government to investigate options for carrying out the directive.

A source informed The Economic Times, “It (Apple) contended that since these apps are valid and legal in other geographies, it would be difficult for (Apple) to bar them outright in India.”

Earlier this year, MeitY had published a list of 138 gambling and betting apps that were banned in India. Google has removed these apps from Play Store, unlike Apple. Apps like Betway, BetNetix and Bet Analytix that were available on the list are still available for download on the App Store for iOS users.

Also watch: IPL CSK vs GT 2023 final: Biryani wins the trophy for most ordered food item on Swiggy; 12 million orders delivered on match day

As per the report, the iPhone maker is in the process of “vetting” the apps to make sure that only “wrong or bad players” in the ecosystem are removed. For other apps, it is working the “vest possible solution”. Notably, Apple has removed a few apps temporarily that were prohibited the by IT ministry in February.

Govt officials have once again requested Apple to ensure that no application on App Store can facilitate gambling or betting in India.

Apple’s App Store guidelines state that gaming, gambling and lotteries are complex to handle and often fall under strict regulatory frameworks. It warns developers to add such functionalities only after thoroughly examining their legal obligations.

For the unversed, Apple is set to host its annual WWDC event on June 5 where it is likely to announce iOS 17, new MacBook Air and more.

Also Read: 

Motorola Edge 40 goes on sale in India today on Flipkart: Price, offers, specs

IPL 2023 Finals: JioCinema breaks world record with over 3.2 crore viewers during CSK vs GT final

ChatGPT used to cheat in state civil services exam; accused allegedly earned Rs 1.1 crore from candidates