Dutch court upholds antitrust ruling against Apple over App Store and dating apps

Apple has been dealt another regulatory blow in Europe this week. A court in Rotterdam has upheld a 2021 decision by the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM), confirming that the company abused its dominant App Store position. Or at least when it comes to dating apps.

This specific case centers on Apple’s long-standing requirement that app developers use its in-app payment system (IAP) for digital purchases, with no option to direct users to external payment methods. According to the ACM and now the court, Apple’s anti-steering rules and commission structure created “unfair conditions” for dating app developers operating in the Dutch market.

This latest ruling means Apple’s €50 million fine (around $54 million) stands. The penalty was imposed after Apple failed to fully comply with the ACM’s demands back in 2022, when the regulator first ordered the company to make changes.

In a statement shared with Reuters (via Macrumors), Apple says it plans to appeal the decision:

“This ruling undermines the technology and tools we’ve created to benefit developers and protect users’ privacy and security, and we plan to appeal.”

Broader App Store pressure continues worldwide

While this particular case is limited to dating apps in the Netherlands, it comes at a time when Apple’s App Store business model is facing broader scrutiny across Europe and the world.

Under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which came into effect earlier this year, Apple is already being forced to loosen some of its longstanding App Store restrictions across the EU.

Meanwhile, in countries like Japan, Brazil, and the United Kingdom, Apple has been facing similar investigations and regulatory pressure around app distribution and payment rules.

For developers outside the dating app category, today’s ruling doesn’t trigger immediate changes. But it does add more legal weight to the ongoing debate over how much control Apple should have over App Store payments, both in Europe and beyond.