Apple Tightens In-App Payment Rules for Gambling Apps

Key Takeaways

• Apple and Google enforce stricter transaction compliance, forcing operators to route all real-money flows through official stores.
• UK launches mandatory APP-scam reimbursement, capping victim losses at £0 for mobile casino transfers.
• Brazil activates phased crypto-payment licensing, enabling instant BRL stablecoin deposits on regulated apps.

Apple Enforces 30% Cut on All Mobile Gambling Payments

Apple quietly rolled out updated App Store Review Guidelines (section 3.1.1) requiring every real-money gambling app to process deposits and withdrawals exclusively via Apple Pay or in-app purchase. The change, effective 28 October in Europe and 1 November in Latin America, eliminates third-party gateways that previously saved operators up to 28% in fees.

European operators report an immediate 12–18% rise in effective rake. Stockholm-listed Kindred Group confirmed it will pass 40% of the extra cost to players via reduced RTP on selected mobile slots. Smaller white-label brands in Spain and Italy have paused new app updates pending cost modelling.

The policy mirrors Google Play’s 2024 framework but arrives with zero transition window. Developers now face binary choices: absorb the commission, raise house edge, or exit the App Store entirely and pivot to progressive web apps (PWAs). Early data from Sensor Tower shows a 9% drop in gambling-app downloads in Italy within 48 hours of enforcement.

UK Mandates Full Reimbursement for Authorised Push Payment Fraud

The Payment Systems Regulator activated the world’s first compulsory APP-scam regime on 28 October. Any Faster Payments or CHAPS transfer tricked out of a player—whether to a rogue casino or a fake “recovery agent”—is now reimbursed 50:50 by sending and receiving banks, with no liability cap for victims.

Mobile-first operators Leo Vegas and Betsson instantly upgraded transaction-monitoring AI to flag duplicate refunds. The PSR projects £450m in annual reimbursements, 60% tied to gambling-related social-engineering attacks. Banks must join Confirmation of Payee by 31 October or face unlimited gross-negligence exposure.

Brazil Opens Crypto Rails for Licensed Mobile Casinos

Brazil’s Central Bank green-lit the first three PIX-to-stablecoin gateways on 31 October, allowing licensed operators to accept instant BRL deposits via USDT and USDC. Players scan a QR code, confirm via PIX, and see funds credited in under four seconds—zero fees, 24/7.

Pag Brasil and EBANX report 42% weekend uptake among 18–24-year-olds. Regulators capped daily crypto inflows at R$25,000 per CPF to curb laundering, with on-chain provenance checks baked into every transaction. The move leapfrogs Europe, where crypto deposits remain ring-fenced in most jurisdictions.

Mi Finity-Veriff Integration Rolls Out Automated Proof-of-Address

Payment provider Mi Finity deployed Veriff’s AI address verification across 1,200 mobile casinos on 30 October. The tool cross-matches selfie, ID, and utility bill in 6 seconds, cutting manual KYC from 48 hours to near-instant.

Early adopters in Malta and Gibraltar report 31% fewer account lockouts and a 19% lift in first-deposit conversion. The update arrives weeks after Dutch regulator KSA fined three operators €1.2m combined for weak source-of-funds checks.