Nearly three months after Brazilian officials first questioned Apple over betting apps accessible to minors, the company has been given five business days to provide additional details about its App Store safeguards. The inquiry also targets Google, raising concerns about the effectiveness of age restrictions on gambling platforms.
Last April, the National Secretariat for Digital Rights (Sedigi) and the National Consumer Secretariat (Senacon) sent letters to both companies, asking about the availability of "countless apps" that offered or facilitated minors' access to betting platforms. Brazil recently passed a new law called ECA Digital, which requires app stores to restrict minors' access to gambling content. In response, Apple introduced age-assurance measures for 18+ apps in the country. However, officials found that many betting apps appeared to lack proper age restrictions or federal authorization, raising questions about enforcement.
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Brazil requests transparency on app screening mechanisms
From Brazil's Ministry of Justice and Public Safety (via Canaltech), the requested clarifications include how regulatory authorizations of apps in Brazil are validated; the technical criteria used to distinguish simulation apps from apps involving bets with economic value, including cases where features are hidden or changed after approval; and the mechanisms adopted to prevent minors from accessing inappropriate content. Information was also requested on active monitoring procedures, risk-prioritization criteria, average removal times after detection, and the timetable for implementing announced corrective measures, including the software update intended to prevent users under 18 from downloading age-restricted apps.
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Google faces criticism for insufficient answers
The secretariats noted that Google's answers were less satisfactory and asked for more detail on how the company verifies authorized operators, monitors apps whose licenses are suspended or expire, measures enforcement effectiveness, and prevents minors from finding or downloading betting apps. Finally, the secretariats requested that Apple's and Google's responses be made public, but allowed confidential information to be submitted separately under restricted access.
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This case is part of a global trend of increased regulatory scrutiny on digital platforms. For instance, the European Union recently exempted smartwatches and fitness trackers from user-replaceable battery requirements, illustrating different regulatory approaches to technology. Read the related article: EU exempts smartwatches and fitness trackers from user-replaceable battery requirement.
The challenge for Apple is to balance regulatory compliance with user experience, as Brazilian authorities push for greater transparency. For more information on how the App Store works, see the Wikipedia page for App Store.
