In the midst of the Indian government’s crackdown on betting apps, Apple has conveyed to Indian officials that it requires a “concrete reason or a legal requirement” to fully comply with the directive from the Centre and disable these apps from its App Store.
Recent Developments: While not outrightly refusing to comply with the February order issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Apple has made it clear that it cannot simply “arbitrarily” remove the apps and make them unavailable in India, according to sources. The tech giant is meticulously assessing the apps to ensure that only the “wrong or bad players of the ecosystem” are taken down.
Recap: ET reported last week that despite being banned by the Centre earlier this year, several betting apps, including Betway and Lotus 365, continue to advertise their operations on digital platforms in defiance of the rules. Many of these apps still remain available on the Apple App Store.
Apple’s Approach: As an interim measure, Apple has taken down some of the banned apps while actively seeking the “best possible solution” for the remaining ones. A source informed ET that when the government issues takedown orders, Apple has three options: to explain to MeitY the inability to take down the apps and provide a reason for this, take the government to court similar to Twitter’s response, or comply with the order.
Insight: These banned apps were alleged to be in violation of Section 69 of the IT Act and were believed to contain content that posed a threat to the country’s sovereignty and integrity. Legal experts suggest that Apple can challenge the government’s standing by scrutinizing the clause and its wording.
Apple remains committed to upholding its policies while ensuring transparency and fairness in dealing with the banned betting apps. The company’s position emphasizes the need for concrete justifications or legal obligations before taking action. The ongoing discussions between Apple and Indian officials will shed further light on the future of these controversial apps in the Indian market.