The Rotterdam District Court in Netherlands has upheld a 2021 decision by the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM), confirming that Apple leveraged its dominant position in the App Store to impose unfair terms on dating‑app developers. The court said that Apple forced dating app companies to use its in-app payment system. As per the ruling, the company blocked them from directing users to other payment options outside the app and demanded a 30% commission on every transaction (15% for smaller developers).
The case in the Netherlands began in 2021 when the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) launched an investigation into Apple’s treatment of dating app developers. ACM concluded that the company was breaking competition laws by forcing developers to use its in-app payment system and blocking alternatives. Apple was ordered to make changes, but the ACM found that the company’s response was too slow and incomplete. As a result, the tech titan was fined €5 million per week for non-compliance, eventually reaching the maximum fine of €50 million by March 2022.
According to the report by Reuters, the company said it will appeal the decision. The Tim Cook-led firm argues that the ruling could weaken the systems it uses to protect user privacy, security, and support for developers.
This judgment comes at a time when the company is facing growing international scrutiny over its App Store policies. For example, in the United States, Apple has been locked in a high-profile legal battle with Epic Games since 2020. The case began when Epic challenged Apple’s rules that force developers to use its in-app payment system and ban them from linking to alternative payment options. A US court ruled in 2021 that Apple must allow developers to direct users to other payment methods, though it avoided directly calling the company a monopolist. The legal fight continued with appeals from both sides, and in 2023, the US Supreme Court declined to hear Apple’s appeal, forcing the company to start changing some of its App Store rules.
Similarly, in South Korea, lawmakers passed a law in 2021 requiring Apple and Google to allow alternative payment systems in their app stores. This made South Korea the first country to take legal action to break up the tech giants’ control over in-app purchases.
Also in the European Union, Apple has been under growing pressure from regulators over its tight control of the App Store, especially under the new Digital Markets Act, aka ‘DMA’ (which came into full effect in March 2024). The DMA designates Apple as a ‘gatekeeper’, meaning it must follow a strict set of rules aimed at promoting competition. Under these rules, the company is required to allow sideloading of apps, support alternative app stores, and let developers use their own payment systems without facing penalties or restrictions. In line with the DMA, a landmark order from the European Commission has also demanded that Apple open up its broader software ecosystem to rival services.
