I’m looking for guidance regarding App Review classifying my app as gambling / real-money gaming under Guideline 5.3.4.
My app is a free football prediction competition app where users predict match scores and compete in rankings based on prediction accuracy.
Top-ranked users may occasionally receive promotional physical prizes such as headphones, consoles, or other products.
Important details:
- participation is completely free
- there are no entry fees
- users cannot deposit money
- users cannot withdraw money
- there is no wagering or betting system
- there are no sportsbooks, odds, or casino mechanics
- users never risk money to participate
- prizes are funded directly by the platform as promotional rewards
Apple rejected the app under:
- Guideline 2.3.6 – Accurate Metadata
- Guideline 5.3.4 – Gaming, Gambling, and Lotteries
App Review is stating that the app includes “real money gambling, real money betting, or real money skill-based gaming” and is requesting gambling licenses and geo-restrictions.
My understanding was that gambling generally requires users to risk something of value (money/payment/consideration) for a chance to win prizes, which does not happen in this app.
I would appreciate guidance from developers who have experience with:
- Free prediction or fantasy-style apps with promotional prizes
- Skill-based competitions reviewed by Apple
- Sweepstakes/contest compliance on the App Store
- UI/wording that may accidentally trigger gambling classification
- Whether App Review typically requires legal contest rules instead of gambling licenses in cases like this
If anyone has successfully published a similar app, I’d really appreciate hearing what changes or clarifications helped during review.
I want to launch initially in Brazil
Thank you.