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Dutch court confirms Apple abused dominant position in dating apps

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on June 16, 2025

2 min read

· Last updated: January 23, 2026

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Dutch court confirms Apple abused dominant position in dating apps
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AMSTERDAM (Reuters) -A Dutch court on Monday confirmed a 2021 consumer watchdog 's ruling saying that Apple had abused its dominant position by imposing unfair conditions on providers of dating apps

Dutch Court Upholds Ruling Against Apple's Dominance in Dating Apps

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) -A Dutch court on Monday confirmed a 2021 consumer watchdog 's ruling saying that Apple had abused its dominant position by imposing unfair conditions on providers of dating apps in the App Store.

The Rotterdam District Court ruled that the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) was therefore right to impose an order subject to a penalty for non-compliance.

The court ruled that ACM was right in finding that dating app providers had to use Apple's own payment system, were not allowed to refer to payment options outside the App Store, and had to pay a 30% commission (15% for small providers) to Apple.

Apple said it was planning to appeal.

"This ruling undermines the technology and tools we've created to benefit developers and protect users' privacy and security, and we plan to appeal", a company spokesperson told Reuters.

ACM in 2021 fined Apple 50 million euros ($58 million) for failure to comply with changes it had ordered to Apple's app store to end practices it said violated European Union antitrust laws.

($1 = 0.8616 euros)

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee, GV De Clercq; Editing by Benoit Van Overstraeten)

Key Takeaways

  • Dutch court confirms Apple's dominance in dating apps.
  • Apple required dating apps to use its payment system.
  • 30% commission imposed on app providers by Apple.
  • Apple plans to appeal the court's decision.
  • ACM fined Apple 50 million euros for non-compliance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did the Dutch court rule regarding Apple?
The Dutch court confirmed that Apple abused its dominant position by imposing unfair conditions on dating app providers, as stated by the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM).
What penalties did Apple face from the ACM?
In 2021, the ACM fined Apple 50 million euros ($58 million) for failing to comply with mandated changes to its app store practices that violated EU antitrust laws.
What is Apple's response to the court ruling?
Apple announced plans to appeal the ruling, stating that it undermines the technology and tools created to benefit developers and protect users' privacy and security.
What unfair conditions were imposed on dating app providers?
Dating app providers were required to use Apple's own payment system, were prohibited from referring to payment options outside the App Store, and faced a 30% commission on transactions.
Who reported on the court ruling?
The article was reported by Reuters, with contributions from Foo Yun Chee and GV De Clercq, and edited by Benoit Van Overstraeten.

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