In response to an ongoing antitrust investigation by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) into the tech giant’s alleged abuse of dominance in the real-money gaming (RMG) ecosystem, Google has recommended adjustments to its Play Store and advertising standards for a greater number of RMG apps in India.
CCI Antitrust Probe Sparked by WinZO Complaint
The Delhi-based RMG platform Winzo filed a complaint that prompted the CCI to begin its antitrust investigation in November 2024. Regarding Google’s commitment application, the CCI had requested feedback from stakeholders regarding the purported exclusion of specific RMG apps from Google Play and the selective onboarding of rummy and daily fantasy sports apps, which distorted the competitive environment.
Google’s New Policy: Replace Pilot with Self-Declared Legal Compliance
Google suggested in its application to replace the present “pilot program” by permitting the distribution of all RMGs on Google Play in India, which creators have self-declared to be legal online real-money games in accordance with relevant legislation.
In order to establish that their application is legally permissible, the application stated that developers must submit evidence that the application is in good standing with a reputable and authoritative third-party body that has demonstrated to Google’s reasonable satisfaction that it meets specific criteria and has been recognised as acceptable in Google’s policies.
Advertising Rules to Loosen for Games of Skill
Additionally, the company stated that it will amend its advertising guidelines to permit advertisements for “games of skill” in India, provided that creators provide third-party certification confirming that the games are neither gambling apps nor “games of chance.” Google restricted the Play Store hosting of apps in the daily fantasy sports (DFS) and rummy categories as part of an experimental program that began in 2022.
These two types of RMG apps are still available in the app store, even though the trial was only meant to run for a year. A WinZO representative commented on the CCI’s investigation, saying WinZO is appreciative of the CCI’s ongoing dedication to promoting an equitable, transparent, and prosperous digital economy.
WinZO’s Case Against Google: Monopoly or Market Gatekeeper?
Google suspended its plans to expand and permit the listing of new types of RMGs on the Play Store in India and globally more than a year ago, attributing the decision to the absence of a central licensing framework and the challenges associated with creating a suitable monetisation model.
In June of last year, the IT giant originally intended to introduce its extended RMG support to developers for their consumers in Brazil, Mexico, and India.
After that, WinZO filed a complaint in November, claiming that Google’s regulations unjustly hurt RMG apps and abused its dominating position in the app store and digital advertising sectors. WinZO also cited modifications to Google Ads guidelines that limit advertising to DFS and Rummy apps solely.
Why India Is Crucial for the Global RMG Ecosystem?
It contended that this limits the reach and expansion prospects of other gaming platforms by denying them access to a significant advertising channel. Nearly 20% of the world’s gamers reside in India, which also invented microtransaction-driven business models that currently generate over 85% of online gaming profits, according to the spokesperson.
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