Apple, Google, and Meta can no longer hide behind the shield of Section 230. A federal judge in San Jose, California, has rejected their attempts to dismiss lawsuits accusing the companies of profiting from casino-style gambling apps that allegedly addict users and trigger serious harm.
The plaintiffs argue that these apps, available through Apple’s App Store, Google’s Play Store, and Meta’s platforms, offered a “true Vegas experience” of slot machine gambling while generating massive commissions—estimated at over $2 billion—from user transactions. Alleged consequences include depression, suicidal thoughts, and other mental health impacts.
U.S. District Judge Edward Davila ruled that processing payments for these apps does not make the companies “publishers” and therefore does not grant them immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. He dismissed some claims under certain state laws but allowed consumer protection claims, except in California, to move forward.
The ruling also opens the door for immediate appeals to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, underlining the national importance of these legal questions. Litigation against the Silicon Valley giants has been ongoing since 2021.
The cases are officially listed as In re Apple Inc App Store Simulated Casino-Style Games Litigation, In re Google Play Store Simulated Casino-Style Games Litigation, and In re Facebook Simulated Casino-Style Games Litigation.
