Another user replied to Arment’s tweet, noting that the App Store is even showing gambling ads beneath apps designed specifically to help users recover from a gambling addiction, while another noticed gambling ads have even popped up on children’s education apps. It doesn’t look like gambling ads are the only types of questionable (and highly irrelevant) ads the App Store’s surfacing, either; the Basic Apple Guy Twitter account pointed out that an “adult video chat” ad appeared beneath Apple’s own Books app.
As noted by Arment, Apple gives advertisers the option to show their ads against both relevant and non-relevant App Store listings, which is why gambling and adult video chat apps are appearing everywhere on the store. He also adds that Apple only lets advertisers filter their ads based on basic demographic filters, such as country, gender, and age range.
Apple could eventually bring ads to Podcasts, Books, and Maps, too
The App Store previously only displayed ads on the Search tab and in search results. But Apple’s recent changes bring ads to the “You Might Also Like” sections, as well as the Today tab. Apple says the new placements can “drive discovery of your app in more moments across the App Store — when customers first arrive, search for something specific, and browse apps to download.” An earlier report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman indicates Apple’s planning to bring ads to its Podcasts, Maps, and Books apps as well. The Verge reached out to Apple to see if it has any plans to strictly vet the types of apps appearing in the You Might Also Like sections, and we’ll update this article if we hear back.
In May, a report from Insider revealed that Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, plans to direct more attention to the company’s streaming and advertising business, which has only become more profitable with the launch of Apple’s App Tracking Transparency policy last year. Since the rule requires developers to let users opt in or out of in-app tracking, developers can’t deploy targeted ads if users opt out. Insider reports this has forced them to shift some of their budgets to advertising on the App Store instead. According to research firm Omdia, Apple’s advertising business could rake in $5.5 billion this year alone.
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Apple Pauses Gambling Ads in App Store Pages After Developers Complain [Updated]Update October 26 3:31 p.m.: In a statement shared with MacRumors today, Apple said it has paused gambling ads in App Store app pages, with no further details provided:
We have paused ads related to gambling and a few other categories on App Store product pages.
Original story from October 25 follows.
Apple today rolled out new ad placements in the App Store on the iPhone, allowing developers to advertise their apps in more places, including the main Today tab and in the "You Might Also Like" section at the bottom of individual app listings.
Just hours later, several prominent developers have complained about distasteful ads for gambling apps appearing in their own App Store listings outside of their control, including Marco Arment, Simon Støvring, and others. The issue was also highlighted in a tweet shared by MacStories editor-in-chief Federico Viticci.
"Now my app's product page shows gambling ads, which I'm really not OK with," tweeted Arment. "Apple shouldn't be OK with it, either."
As noted by Arment, Apple provides advertisers with the choice to have their ad shown in app categories different than their own app's category, allowing ads for gambling ads to appear in listings for unrelated apps like the podcast app Overcast.
The presence of gambling ads in the App Store as a whole has prompted some criticism, with some accusing Apple of being greedy and moving away from policies that the company upheld under former CEO Steve Jobs. Apple earns revenue from both the ad placements and its 15% to 30% cut of in-app purchases in gambling apps.
Beyond upsetting some developers, Apple allowing apps to run ads in other apps' listings has already led to the company facing accusations of anticompetitive behavior. In a tweet last week, legal expert Florian Mueller argued the ads are "another means of increasing the effective app tax rate, forcing developers to buy ads on their own app pages in order to avoid that others steer customers away from there."
Beyond upsetting some developers, Apple allowing apps to run ads in other apps' listings has already led to the company facing accusations of anticompetitive behavior. In a tweet last week, legal expert Florian Mueller argued the ads are "another means of increasing the effective app tax rate, forcing developers to buy ads on their own app pages in order to avoid that others steer customers away from there."
https://www.macrumors.com/2022/10/26/app-store-gambling-ads-complaints/