Apple began showing more ads in the App Store on Oct. 25, especially in the “Today” tab and at the bottom of the app ads. Since then, many developers have complained about gambling ads appearing in the “You May Also Like” section when they have nothing to do with their apps.
Developer Marco Arment posted a screenshot on Twitter showing gambling ads on the App Store page for his podcast app Overcast. Other developers have reported the same problem and clarified that they don’t like casino ads on their product pages. Now Apple has told MacRumors that it has “paused ads related to gambling and a few other categories on App Store product pages.”
It’s unclear whether the company will resume showing gambling ads after the wave of discontent subsides. Apple hasn’t explained its decision in any way, and the word “pause” seems to suggest that the changes are temporary. As MacRumors notes, people are criticizing Apple for catering to casino ads in general, not just for catering to app listings.
