App is rejected because of gambling related content

Question

Created 21h

Replies 2

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Participants 2

I'm looking to see if other developers have experienced something similar recently.

Our app is a free football prediction app where users predict match scores and earn points for rankings, achievements and statistics. There are:

No real money betting
No entry fees
No cash prizes
No operator-funded prizes
No virtual currency that can be exchanged for money

The app has been available on the App Store for a long time and previous versions (50+ releases) (including a recent version) were approved.

However, the latest update was rejected under Guideline 2.3.6. App Review says that because the app includes "tips, tools, predictions or other information related to real money gambling", we must answer "Yes" to the Gambling age rating.

What confuses me is that the App Store Connect age rating describes Gambling as betting or wagering using real money or in-game currency that can be exchanged for real money, which does not apply to our app.

Has anyone else recently experienced this with a football pool, fantasy league or sports prediction app?

If so:

Were you asked to set the Gambling age rating to "Yes"?
Did App Review explain where they draw the line?
Were you eventually able to resolve it?

I'm not trying to argue with App Review; I'm simply trying to understand how this guideline is currently being interpreted.

Answer 1

Etresoft OP

18h

What confuses me is that the App Store Connect age rating describes Gambling as betting or wagering using real money or in-game currency that can be exchanged for real money, which does not apply to our app.

And it also has a category for "Simulated Gambling" which precisely describes the core functionality of your app.

Has anyone else recently experienced this with a football pool, fantasy league or sports prediction app?

How would that be useful?

I've never understood the point of a comparison to some other app from some other developer. Do they think that App Review is going to come back with, "Doh! You got us on that one! App approved!"

Wouldn't it be just as easy for App Review to say, "OK. Fair enough. App rejected under 4.3 (b)." This clause also includes: "Repeated submissions of this kind may lead to removal from the Apple Developer Program." Kinda seems like the 18+ age limit is the better deal there.

Answer 2

Mattieman OP

11h

Thanks for your reply.

My question wasn't about pointing to other apps in order to argue that App Review should approve ours as well. I'm simply trying to determine whether this is an isolated review decision or whether other developers of football prediction or fantasy league apps have recently received similar feedback.

Also, App Review specifically asked us to answer "Yes" for "Gambling", not "Simulated Gambling". That's part of my confusion. The App Store Connect definition of Gambling refers to betting or wagering using real money (or currency exchangeable for real money), while our app has no betting, wagers, entry fees, cash prizes, payouts, odds, or exchangeable virtual currency.

I'm genuinely trying to understand how Apple currently interprets this guideline and where the line is drawn for football prediction or fantasy league apps. If other developers have recently encountered the same issue, that would help determine whether this is a broader interpretation or something specific to our app.