Apple is hosting casino apps that masquerade as puzzle games
App developer Kosta Eleftheriou in a Twitter thread has explained how Apple’s review teams have been approving games that transform into secret casinos when accessed from certain locations or VPN.
Apple has a tough review process to let apps in its App Store. However, lately, reports have detailed that some casino apps masquerading as kids gaming apps have managed to sneak into the company's app now. Now, a new report has shared details about more such apps on the App Store.
App developer Kosta Eleftheriou in a Twitter thread has explained how Apple's review teams have been approving games that transform into secret casinos when accessed from certain locations or VPN. The developer has discovered two new games -- Lucky Stars and Vegas Pirates -- that pretend to be gaming apps for kids above four years of age and transform into online casino games when a user accesses them from Russia or via a virtual private network (VPN).
This @AppStore app pretends to be a game for kids 4+, but if you are in Russia (or use a VPN) it becomes an online casino that doesn't even use Apple's in-app-purchase system.
— Kosta Eleftheriou (@keleftheriou) April 20, 2021
🤯#AppleEvent scam of the day👇 pic.twitter.com/VU1XpaiILU
Eleftheriou says that the developers are running casino ads that bring people into this App Store page. In order to pass Apple's review process, they claim the app is “a game in which the player needs to find a couple of pictures in the shortest possible time“. The developer says that since the scammers are not using Apple's in-app purchase mechanism, ‘an online casino could just be a website.'
The developer is running casino ads that bring people into this App Store page - notice the casino-like visuals.
— Kosta Eleftheriou (@keleftheriou) April 20, 2021
In order to pass Apple's “robust” review process, they claim the app is “a game in which the player needs to find a couple of pictures in the shortest possible time“. pic.twitter.com/hG70f8Tlen
What's astonishing is that some of these apps have been on the App Store for months and they have even had multiple updates being approved by the company.
The developer's website listed on the App Store is https://t.co/mHYeXEn8dV, a big Russian news outlet. Really.
— Kosta Eleftheriou (@keleftheriou) April 20, 2021
Even the *privacy policy* link they've provided to Apple is the same exact link - and Apple has happily accepted all this! pic.twitter.com/QIgMg78cnf
Thankfully, both the apps are gone now and they can't be downloaded from the App Store anymore.
Follow HT Tech for the latest tech news and reviews , also keep up with us on Twitter, Facebook, Google News, and Instagram. For our latest videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel.
