Apple is facing a civil lawsuit in Brazil seeking 300 million reais (about $59 million) in damages over claims that children can download and access casino-style games on the App Store without meaningful age verification. The case has sparked heated debate about the responsibility of tech giants to protect minors from inappropriate content.
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The lawsuit was filed by Anced (National Association of Centers for the Defense of Children and Adolescents), Educafro Brasil and the Santo Dias. These organizations are asking Apple to implement an effective age verification system for all casino games distributed through the App Store. Their concern centers on the fact that underage users can easily access content that is listed as suitable for adults only, without requiring any form of age verification, such as proof of age, document verification or facial recognition.
This case is not the first time Apple has come under fire for issues related to the safety of minors online. Last month, Brazilian authorities gave Apple five business days to provide additional details about how it verifies gambling apps, monitors the App Store and prevents minors from accessing age-restricted content.
This request came three months after the country's National Secretariat for Digital Rights and National Consumer Secretariat first asked Apple and Google about betting apps that are allegedly accessible to children.
An investigation by 9to5Mac has identified nearly 100 apps that disguise gambling platforms as innocent games and utilities to avoid the App Store review process, many of which are available to children. The discovery has intensified criticism of Apple, as these apps violate App Store policies and expose underage users to gambling-related risks.
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The lawsuit cites “Casino Roulette: Roulettist,” an app that is listed as only available to users 18 years of age and older, but notes that “at no point was proof of age, document verification, or facial recognition required to access the content.” The app offers various casino games, including poker, baccarat, roulette, and slots, with in-app purchases costing up to 599.90 reais, or about $118.
Although this is the only app directly named in the lawsuit, Anced’s attorney claims that “there are at least six other apps that simulate casinos and are available for download by minors, despite being rated 18+.” In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs also ask Apple to prevent the release of new casino games without age verification, maintain ongoing oversight of existing titles, and submit reports on its enforcement efforts every six months.
If Apple fails to comply with the requested measures within 10 days, the groups are asking the court to impose a daily fine of 500,000 reais, or about $98,000. When asked for comment, Apple referred to the parental controls available through Family Sharing and said it is testing an age verification system in Brazil, with plans to make it “available to all users via a software update in the coming months.”.
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This case highlights the ongoing challenge that technology companies face in balancing freedom of access with the protection of vulnerable groups, such as minors. The Apple lawsuit in Brazil is an important example of the legal and ethical responsibilities that come with managing platforms with millions of users worldwide. The outcome of the case could have broader implications for Apple and other tech giants’ policies on age verification and the protection of minors online.
