Investigation reveals dozens of disguised gambling apps on the App Store in Brazil - 9to5Mac
4 hours ago
- An investigation by 9to5Mac uncovered over 60 apps on the App Store that disguise gambling platforms as simple games or utilities.
- These jacket apps show their true functionality only when accessed from a Brazilian IP address, revealing online betting platforms.
- Many apps target Brazilian users in categories like Navigation, Travel, and Weather, with AI-generated animal icons and an AL age rating accessible to children.
- A public GitHub repository provided instructions for creating such apps, including remotely controlled routing and tactics to evade App Store review.
- Apple removed the initially identified apps but new ones appeared; later Apple confirmed it investigated 25 similar apps and terminated associated developer accounts before the report.
- Apple stated it has a zero-tolerance policy for hidden functionality and improved its detection systems using signals from fraudulent apps.
- Apple reported blocking over $2.2 billion in fraudulent transactions, rejecting 2 million apps, and terminating 193,000 developer accounts in 2025.