Brazil court tells Apple to add age checks for casino app purchases

A Brazilian court has mandated Apple to enhance age restrictions on a casino-style app available on the App Store, mandating age verification before any in-app purchases. As per Tilt, São Paulo’s Court of Justice has issued an emergency injunction compelling Apple to curb minors’ access to the "Casino Roulette: Roulettist" application.

This ruling emerged following a civil lawsuit in July, brought forth by four child and adolescent rights groups. They argued that minors were able to download casino-themed games from the App Store and purchase virtual chips using real money, despite the application being rated 18+. The court instructed Apple to block new downloads of Casino Roulette: Roulettist for users registered as minors within five days.

Additionally, Apple was required to implement "age verification for purchases of virtual chips with real money to continue playing or expand the in-app experience," according to Tilt. The decision extends to barring Apple from permitting new apps with comparable casino-style mechanics onto the App Store unless they possess effective age controls.

Furthermore, Apple was directed to archive all records associated with the app and submit a technical report detailing the measures it has taken. The court also imposed a daily fine of R$100,000 (approximately $19,500) for any noncompliance. Tilt attempted to contact Apple for a comment, but as of the publication, the company had not responded. For a comprehensive report, refer to Tilt’s full article.