Netherlands: Rotterdam District Court issued ruling upholding order against Apple over abuse of dominance in payment conditions for dating applications
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Rotterdam District Court issued ruling upholding order against Apple over abuse of dominance in payment conditions for dating applications
On 16 June 2025, the Rotterdam District Court upheld the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM)’s penalty against Apple for abusing its dominant position in the application (app) store market for dating apps by imposing unfair conditions. The court confirmed Apple’s dominance and found that it applied unfair terms to dating app providers, violating Article 24 of the Dutch Competition Act and Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The case involves Apple’s requirement that all in-app payments for digital content, including ‘superlikes’ and ‘boosts’, must be processed exclusively through its own system, barring providers from using alternative payment methods or directing users to external options. The ACM’s penalty payment order, including a maximum fine of EUR 50 million following a prior interim reduction, was largely upheld, although the court ruled it unnecessary for Apple to offer both an in-app payment system and an external referral option. Apple has forfeited the full EUR 50 million penalty, which the ACM is authorised to collect.
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