App Store rules changed to allow sweepstakes and contests

The prospect of an always-on, portable and discreet e-lottery ticket in your pocket may thrill some and horrify others, but as far as Apple is concerned it looks like it's A-OK for the App Store. We were first tipped to a change in the iPhone developer agreement this past Monday by Joel Comm, the originator of iFart Mobile; the particular adjustment is in section 3.3.17 of the agreement:

3.3.17 Your Application may include promotional sweepstake or contest functionality provided that You are the sole sponsor of the promotion and that You and Your Application comply with any applicable laws.

This opens the door to all sorts of games, prizes and payoffs -- not to mention the possibility of intriguing legal battles, as games of chance and contests are subject to all sorts of differing rules in different jurisdictions. Comm's company's latest app, KaChing Button, will be offering users the chance to win cash prizes in a monthlong sweepstakes that kicks off next Monday. He predicts -- and I concur -- that a massive wave of payoff apps is just over the horizon. I hope all those iPhone developers have excellent lawyers.

[H/T to RegHardware, AppFreak]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liz/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

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Source: http://kachingbutton.com/

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The prospect of an always-on, portable and discreet e-lottery ticket in your pocket may thrill some and horrify others, but as far as Apple...

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Sewata123

TapLuck has been giving away prizes, laptops, Xbox's and gift cards since Feb 10.

www.Tapluck.com

Check it out

May 06 2010 at 4:18 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

William

It has begun:
http://www.TheSweepstakesApp.com

April 10 2010 at 10:16 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Seth Goldberg

We have a 100% API system for tournament managing that has been deployed on multiple platforms including PSP that is ready to go TODAY on integration into any iphone application.

We handle payments, scores, leader boards, jackpots.....
Tournaments can be run on schedule in fire and forget....

Payment into the system is done with standard iphone offer walls or paypal and such, payment are automated.... system has been integrated into websites, flashgames, social network games and even LOL a PSP....

Contact me at seth@sdnnow.com....
press releases coming soon.....

February 21 2010 at 8:24 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Peter Watling

Apple had allowed BubblePRO from Orsome to give away cash prizes
under old rules, so long as we didn't advertise it within the app,
but ran the promotion from our web site. It will be nice to make it
clear within the app now what you can win. Ie, we have $250 for best
score this next week, then in March we will be giving away a new iPad
( the day they ship ) Â Â Â

February 20 2010 at 4:42 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Jayenkai

Ugh. Here comes 100,000,000 adverts telling us to "Play Poker FREE!!!!!!!!! ON YOUR IPHONE!!??!?!?!?!?!!!!?!?!"

February 19 2010 at 4:59 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

jmulder

Completely off-topic, but where did you find that picture? I wrote the original sound encoding program used for the sounds on the 'Wheel of Fortune' slot machines. The player's club display and card reader look like they are from my old employer as well.

February 19 2010 at 4:34 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to jmulder's comment

Michael Rose

As noted in the post, the picture (Creative Commons licensed) is the work of Flickr user 'liz' and it is linked to her photo stream.

February 19 2010 at 6:25 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Scott

I saw that too, I'm sitting in the building that manufactures that machine, and this article caught my interest.

February 19 2010 at 6:51 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

JAQ

So gambling is now OK, but boobs are now forbidden.

If Apple's going to be in the business of making moral decisions for us, I'd say they've got this backwards.

February 19 2010 at 4:26 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

mare

All these apps would be illegal in the Canadian province of Quebec. But there is no separate appStore for Quebec, so they should be banned from the whole of Canada.

You need good lawyers indeed.

February 19 2010 at 2:19 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

TheBigR

This could be very interesting...
Where can I get a ticket? :P

February 19 2010 at 11:43 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply