An app developer, Kosta Eleftheriou, discovered another iOS scam on the Apple Appstore, and this one is quite interesting: it's a gambling app disguised as a kid's game. The app called Jungle Runner 2K21 is supposed to be a game with a monkey collecting bananas. Surprisingly, the game transforms into a secret gambling den when you access it from certain countries or use a VPN.  Somehow, this secret casino disguised as a kid's runner game got approved by Apple and ended on people's phones.

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The app claims to be a 'fun running game' for kids between 4 and above, but it turns out it was an online casino masquerading as a runner game. Like every shady gambling den, you needed a password to gain access to this illicit gambling app, and it's an easy one. All you needed was to be in the right country or pretend to be in the right country by setting your VPN or IP address to a region where gambling is legal.

If someone in the US opened the app, all they would get was a poorly designed runner kids' game. However, when Eleftheriou changed his VPN to Turkey, the game transformed into an online casino; a roulette wheel replaced the running monkey. This casino app wasn't just a game where you bet fake money. It was a real online casino where you could gamble with real money or cryptocurrency.

And It Has Its Own Payment System Too

The scam iOS app gets even more interesting as it doesn't use Apple's in-app payment system. It turns out the app only showed the web view of the online casino. Once you got into the app, you went straight into the casino's mobile web, bypassing Apple's payment system.

Kosta Eleftheriou, who has exposed similar iOS scams and labelled himself a 'professional App Store critic,' tweeted his discovery on Twitter. According to him, the Jungle Runner 2K21 app has been on the App Store for months and has been updated a few times. This implies that it may have landed on the phones of unsuspecting users, including kids.

Having such a gambling app hidden as an innocent game means kids could easily gamble with their parents' money. It's not like you should be teaching your kids about responsible gambling; they should not be gambling in the first place. But with an app disguised as a kids game, how would parents be aware of such an app's true intention?

It's Not Just One App

It was also discovered that the developer has another app, Magical Forest Puzzle, that worked the same way but with a different casino. Both apps work just like regular puzzle games if opened in the US, but they turn into a gambling den once you change your location to another country like Italy or Turkey.

Asides from being on the App Store, the app also used fake marketing to entice users. There was a particular one where they alleged they were featured on CNN Turkey. Kosta Eleftheriou believes that the scammers went through the App Store because people trust Apple and would never doubt the safety of an iOS app.

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Apple's Response

While gambling apps aren't forbidden on Apple's App Store, they are geo-restricted to countries where gambling isn't allowed. However, for an online casino hidden as a game, countries with restrictions can access the app.

Apple hasn't given any response to the discovery of the app yet. However, in response to the other scam apps discovered weeks ago, Apple stated that they seriously just some weeks ago took feedback regarding fraudulent activity.

Speaking about the matter, the Cybersecurity Specialist at ESET, Jake Moore, said,  'targeting games created for children is a worrying step forward, as threat actors attempt to manipulate those who need the most guidance. It is extremely difficult to properly age restrict the apps downloaded and used by children, so it is important for parents and guardians to be aware of what apps are on their children's phones and what they are used for.' 

He continued, 'Apple has stringent processes when scrutinizing apps to look out for malware, but this is a sophisticated attempt in bypassing those restrictions. This particular app may not have been able to manipulate numerous users into illicit actions but, it does highlight that even stricter restrictions may be required to monitor what is placed on the App Store under all circumstances.'

The gambling app disguised as a children's game was removed after its discovery. However, one has to wonder how many more casino gambling sites disguised as kids games managed to get through Apple's App Store review program. Eleftheriou discovered a scam app that bypassed Apple's in-app purchase system just some weeks ago and was raking millions from unsuspecting iOS users.

Lesley Montoya

Update 07 March 2021