In June, Apple announced some huge changes to the App Store guidelines pertaining to the kind of gambling apps that are allowed to be published. According to the new policy, the gambling app publishers will no longer be allowed to repackage websites with HTML5 technology and publish them as apps on the store. When the announcement was made, Apple set a September 3 deadline for the removal of such apps. The app publishers are required to adjust and publish only native iOS gambling apps.
Needless to say, the new gambling app policy caused a huge problem for many gambling companies. Fortunately, Apple has recently had a change of heart and chosen to relent on the deadline thus giving the developers more time to comply. Now, the gambling app developers have until March 3 to adjust and republish their apps as native iOS apps.
The decision is unlikely to be due to Apple’s empathy toward the game developers but rather a move that the company arrived at after receiving some “suggestions” from key stakeholders in the gaming industry including state authorities.
What Next?
Apple’s decision to give the developers six more months to adjust to the new policies is definitely a boon for gaming operators that develop their products entirely in-house. However, the online casino operators that rely on third-party developers will still have a lot to do within the next six months.
In addition to that, the extension of the deadline only applies to operators whose apps were approved and published on the App Store before June 2019. Operators trying to launch new apps are out of luck and this is becoming a huge problem especially in the United States where more and more states are legalizing online gambling.
Hollywood Casino Takes the Lead in Pennsylvania
Hollywood Casino has been making headlines in the Keystone State’s online gambling industry for a very long time. It was not only the first casino site to take a bet but also the first online casino in the state to get listed in the App Store.
The casino’s listing in the Apple App Store was a huge leap especially considering the recent change of guidelines. Hollywood Casino’s app launched with just five titles but the number has since grown to 12 and it is now planning to puff up that number even further.
“We are going to have an update going live in mid-October. We will basically triple the size of our library. We will be live with a lot of IGT games and are actually bringing NetEnt games into the fold, which we are really excited about,” reads a statement from the company.
With the decision to go right to building native iOS apps, Hollywood is playing the long game which will definitely give it an edge over its competitors in the Keystone State’s online gambling landscape.