A woman filed a case against Apple after she allegedly lost thousands of dollars on in-game currency connected to 'gambling apps' hosted by the Cupertino-based company's online store.

Apple is no stranger to lawsuits, from accusations that it quietly slowed down older-model iPhones to favor new devices to antitrust charges stemming from the alleged monopolistic policies of its App Store. Recently, the Cupertino-based tech giant faced yet another lawsuit, this time filed by a woman in Connecticut who claimed that she lost thousands of dollars on in-game currency linked to alleged 'gambling apps' hosted by Apple.

The lawsuit filed Thursday in a U.S. District Court in Connecticut, alleges that the Cupertino-based tech giant "promotes, enables, and profits" from various gambling games hosted on the company's App Store. The lawsuit's plaintiff claimed she lost thousands of dollars on in-game currency connected to the alleged 'gambling apps' hosted by Apple. Karen Workman, the plaintiff in the new lawsuit, also said she downloaded from the App Store in 2017 an app called 'Jackpot Mania.' She further stated that 'Jackpot Mania' made her buy coins so she could continue playing "a chance to win free coins that would enable him/her to enjoy the game(s) for a longer period."

   

The lawsuit also stated that in the six months before she filed the case, Workman spent around $3,312.19 on in-game currency connected to 'gambling apps' allegedly hosted by Apple. While Apple's App Store supposedly prohibits gambling apps, the lawsuit argues that apps with in-game coins still belong to the "gambling" category since users "can win and therefore acquire more playing time."

Workman's lawsuit also claims the app records game credits, considered a thing of value, which then allows users to extend their playtime. "The apps at issue record credits and allow the player to save them up and play later," the complaint stated. This was the basis used by Workman when she filed the lawsuit claiming that in-game currency linked to alleged 'gambling apps' hosted on Apple's app store made her lose thousands of dollars. Workman stated in her lawsuit that the App Store's hosting of 'gambling apps' violated gambling statutes that are in effect in the state of Connecticut.

"Apple is not some minor or incidental participant in these illegal gambling games. It is the principal promoter and facilitator of illegal activity. Apple maintains dictatorial control over what apps can be downloaded from the App Store, and the payment method to purchase in-app items," Workman stated in her lawsuit. She is seeking class status for her lawsuit and is also asking Apple to refund the thousands of dollars she lost through the in-game currency connected to 'gambling apps' hosted on the company's App Store, as well as attorneys' fees and a reward for the plaintiff for "her services in this case on behalf of the class."