Dating apps not a safe bet

18 August 2015 - 02:03 By ©The Daily Telegraph

Internet dating companies are booming, with investors flinging millions at start-ups. Now retail investors can get in on the action. The Match Group, whose portfolio includes OKCupid and Tinder, and Ashley Madison, the website for extra-marital affairs, have announced plans to float shares on the stock exchange.But many venture capitalists have a blanket ban on dating apps, for reasons that suggest retail investors might want to proceed with caution, too.First, there are the ethical considerations, which cause some investors to lump dating apps with tobacco and gambling companies under the category "do not touch".There's also little to suggest that internet dating companies are lucrative investments. What's more, the irony of dating apps is that a successful product means you lose users. ..

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