Apple Sports app – is Apple now into betting?

Recently launched, the Apple Sports app maintains the sleek and intuitive design typical of Apple products. However, the app’s name is somewhat misleading. A more fitting name might be “Apple Scores,” as it offers little beyond live scores. Unlike ESPN and other sports apps that provide a range of features such as news, highlights, and detailed schedules, Apple’s offering is surprisingly sparse. It provides no highlights, no news coverage, and lacks basic information such as the broadcasting channels or streaming services for the games. The app only shows results from the current day and limits future schedules to a single game. What it does highlight, however, are betting odds, prominently displayed on the home screen.

Detailed odds?

Selecting a game in the app reveals detailed betting odds, including predictions for total points, supplied by the betting company DraftKings. These details can be disabled in the iPhone’s general settings, and while the app does not currently allow direct betting or linking to DraftKings, the emphasis on betting odds suggests the app’s primary focus. It appears to be the precursor to a more comprehensive betting platform.

Sports betting focus

Apple did not respond to inquiries regarding the app’s focus, but its current functionality makes sense mainly through the lens of sports betting. When compared to ESPN or other sports-focused platforms, it falls short. The absence of news and highlights limits its appeal, and for soccer fans, its coverage is quite restrictive. While the app tracks MLS and the top five European men’s leagues, it omits major competitions like the UEFA Champions League and international matches. The app also allows users to follow favorite teams and leagues, but notable leagues like the NFL and college football are absent. Although Apple has indicated that these will be added when their seasons start, there have been no promises about including sports such as tennis or golf.

Apple’s focus

This bare-bones approach seems out of step with Apple’s broader push into sports streaming. In 2022, Apple began broadcasting Major League Baseball doubleheaders on Friday nights through Apple TV+. The following year, it secured exclusive broadcasting rights for Major League Soccer and is reportedly considering a $2 billion bid for Formula 1 racing rights. Despite these moves, the Apple Sports app appears disconnected from this larger strategy. For example, even though it was launched on the same day as the new MLS season, it does not inform users that upcoming games are available on Apple TV+.

Lag or no lag

When viewed through the lens of betting, the app’s design becomes more coherent. Its functionality is streamlined and efficient, with extremely fast updates that are often ahead of competitors like ESPN, which sometimes lags behind live events by several minutes. For casual sports fans, a delay of a few seconds or minutes might be inconsequential, especially if they are watching the game live or streaming it elsewhere. However, for those interested in live sports betting, the timing is crucial. The difference between a two-second and a two-minute lag can be significant in a fast-paced game. In that brief span, a key player could make a game-altering play, dramatically affecting the outcome of a bet.

In this context, Apple Sports seems less like a comprehensive sports app and more like a tool designed for the betting market. Eddy Cue, the Apple executive heading the company’s sports initiatives, recently mentioned to CNET that Apple is considering further integration with betting platforms like DraftKings. “Whether we let you tap on it to go to DraftKings or not… we’ll decide that later,” Cue stated, indicating that Apple is “not against” betting.

Unexpected or unintended

This openness towards betting is somewhat unexpected for Apple, a company historically cautious about associating with activities it deems vices. Apple’s strict guidelines prohibit apps promoting “tobacco and vape products, illegal drugs, or excessive amounts of alcohol.” It also bans apps encouraging the “illegal or reckless use of weapons and dangerous objects” and those featuring overtly sexual content. Joe Rossignol, a senior reporter for MacRumors, commented that the inclusion of betting odds in the Apple Sports app is a departure from Apple’s past stance. “While it’s a cliché, I don’t think Steve Jobs would have signed off on showing betting odds in the Apple Sports app,” Rossignol remarked, adding that he doesn’t foresee Apple ever allowing direct betting within the app.

US Gambling landscape

Apple’s shift in attitude might reflect the changing cultural landscape around sports gambling in the United States. The Supreme Court’s 2018 decision to allow states to legalize online sports betting has led to its rapid normalization. Betting lines are now a regular part of sports commentary, and terms like “parlays” and “prop bets” have become common in sports discourse. ESPN has even launched its own betting service, and there is a growing number of TV shows and podcasts dedicated to the subject. However, the widespread acceptance of sports betting has not been without consequences. Reports indicate a significant increase in calls to gambling addiction hotlines since 2018.

Previous Sportsbook apps

Even before releasing its Sports app, Apple had already been contributing to this shift by permitting sportsbook apps on its App Store. These apps have made it easier than ever to place bets, often using in-game push notifications to encourage risky behavior, as noted by Meredith Ginley, an expert in gambling addiction.

In conclusion

In summary, while the Apple Sports app currently presents itself as a streamlined scores platform, its true focus seems to lie in the realm of sports betting. Whether Apple will eventually allow direct integration with betting platforms remains to be seen. For now, the app represents a new chapter in the increasingly intertwined relationship between sports and gambling, with major tech companies like Apple stepping into the arena.