Illegal apps removed from Apple store

Apple Inc has removed many of illegal apps that sell fake lottery tickets and provide gambling services from the Apple store, but loopholes remain, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Sunday.

Since CCTV’s first disclosure in July that many illegal apps in the store had led to property damage to users, Apple removed more than 500 apps with the key word “lottery” as of August 13.

Apple also removed more than 2,000 apps relevant to gambling alone on August 9, the CCTV said.

However, there are still loopholes, with apps already downloaded on phones still being updated and pushing notifications, according to CCTV.

Problematic apps are difficult for Apple to spot, as the platform requires numerous users’ online complaints before it notices the apps. But some app developers said they can pay for positive reviews to keep their apps from being removed from the Apple store.

This is a loophole in the rules, and to make up for it, Apple should cut the account link between illegal apps and the Apple store after their removal, said Zhu Wei, a professor at the China University of Political Science and Law, CCTV reported.

Apple announced that it will not release apps providing gaming, gambling and lottery services unless it check the country's or region’s relevant laws. But the Ministry of Finance said that so far, it hasn’t authorized any welfare lottery companies to sell tickets online.