Apple Drops EU Per-Install Fee as New App Terms Take Effect

The switch was announced in August and is now live. Apple is dropping the Core Technology Fee, along with the Initial Acquisition Fee and Store Services Fee. As Apple said, apps distributed through alternative marketplaces or via Web Distribution instead fall under a 5% Core Technology Commission on covered digital transactions.

App Store rates remain higher. Apple lists 26% for standard In-App Purchase, 20% where alternative payment processing is used and 15% after an external checkout link. Reduced rates apply in some cases.

For Betting Apps, 5% Does Not Mean 5% of Deposits

That is the part worth separating. Apple’s review rules do not allow In-App Purchase to be used for real-money gaming credit or currency. A sportsbook therefore cannot treat a €100 player deposit like a €100 digital purchase through Apple.

The new 5% rate does not change that. What it does change is the cost attached to distributing an iOS app outside the usual App Store route.

EU developers can already use alternative marketplaces. Eligible developers can also distribute notarized apps from their own websites. Under the new terms, covered transactions from those routes move onto the 5% commission model.

What Operators Need to Consider

For an operator with an EU-facing iOS app, that makes the distribution route worth another look. The gambling wallet remains separate. So do licensing, geo controls and local payment rules.

October 1 changes Apple’s side of the equation.