Report finds malicious ads appear nearly three times more often in mobile games than other apps

A new industry report highlights growing safety and quality concerns within the mobile advertising ecosystem, showing that users of mobile games face significantly higher exposure to malicious advertising than users of other types of apps.

According to the latest In-App Network Ad Quality Index released by AppHarbr, mobile games display malicious ads at a substantially higher rate than non-gaming apps. The report estimates that one in every 58 ads served in mobile games is malicious, compared with one in 165 ads in non-gaming apps, exposing players to increased risks such as scams, phishing attempts, malware, and forced redirects.

The findings are based on an analysis of 25 billion ads delivered across 500 mobile apps and more than 45 advertising networks between November 2025 and January 2026. During the study period, AppHarbr’s monitoring systems blocked approximately 185 million unsafe ads before they reached users.

The report points to structural weaknesses in mobile game advertising environments as a key factor behind the higher malvertising rate. Gaming apps often rely heavily on formats such as interstitial and rewarded video ads, which can create additional opportunities for malicious or deceptive creatives to slip through automated ad network checks.

AppHarbr’s analysis also indicates that around 50% of global ad networks fail to meet baseline player-safety requirements, allowing policy-violating or fraudulent ads to reach users during gameplay sessions.

In addition to malicious content, gaming environments also show elevated levels of other problematic ads. The report notes that one in 33 ads in gaming apps is related to gambling or betting, while one in 182 contains offensive or sensitive content.

Beyond security risks, the study highlights persistent issues with intrusive ad experiences. Many ads served through mobile app networks exceed standard duration guidelines or lack proper skip controls.

Industry benchmarks typically place in-game video ads between 15 and 30 seconds, but the report indicates that many campaigns stretch this format to 60–80 seconds. As a result, one in five interstitial ads and one in ten rewarded video ads are unskippable, creating friction for players.

Such practices can have a measurable impact on user retention. The research suggests that 84% of players would uninstall a game after a negative advertising experience, while 93% report abandoning gameplay when deceptive close buttons or delayed skip controls trap them in ads.

The report also identifies disparities between operating systems. iOS apps were found to experience nearly three times more malicious ads than Android apps, a pattern attributed to higher advertising demand and higher CPMs associated with iOS audiences.

At the infrastructure level, the study suggests that header bidding SDKs tend to deliver cleaner ad supply than traditional network SDK integrations, with platforms such as The Trade Desk, Equativ, Index Exchange, TripleLift, and LoopMe showing stronger performance in preventing harmful ad content.

These findings reflect broader changes in how app publishers evaluate monetization partners. Rather than focusing solely on metrics such as eCPM, developers are increasingly incorporating ad quality, user experience, and safety indicators when assessing the long-term sustainability of advertising revenue.

Low-quality advertising does not only affect users. The report notes that deceptive or inappropriate creatives can lead to negative app reviews, lower ratings, and reduced visibility in app stores, ultimately impacting organic installs and user acquisition efficiency.

Operationally, developers also face increased costs related to user complaints, support requests, and partner escalations when harmful ads appear in their apps.

As mobile advertising becomes more complex and programmatic supply chains expand, the report concludes that publisher-controlled ad quality enforcement and real-time monitoring tools are becoming increasingly important to prevent malicious or intrusive ads from reaching users.