Google proposes allowing all real-money games on Play Store in India

Google has proposed changes to its Play Store and advertising policies for India’s real-money gaming (RMG) sector, potentially allowing more such apps on the platform.

 

The move comes on the heels of tech major moving the Supreme Court against an NCLT order, which partially upheld the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI’s) ruling that Google had leveraged its dominance in the Android ecosystem.

 

The tech giant also said it was finalising an approach for an “appropriate business model” that would take into account the commercial model used by developers in the RMG ecosystem.

 

The CCI has invited public comments on the proposal by August 20.

 

Google has proposed to replace its current pilot program to allow the distribution of all RMGs in India. These games are required to be self-declared by developers as “as permissible online real money games as per applicable laws/jurisprudence, on Google Play in India”.

 

Apps will be required to submit proof to demonstrate that their app is legally permissible and that it is in good standing with a reputable and authoritative third party body recognised in Google’s policies.

 

Games intended for distribution on the Play Store would need to be certified by designated industry associations, which will determine whether a game qualifies as a “permissible game of skill”.

 

These industry bodies may include online skill gaming associations such as the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF), the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS), or the E-Gaming Federation (EGF).

 

It will also allow RMGs, that constitute games of skill, to be advertised in India subject to third party certification.

 

“By permitting all RMGs self-declared by developers as permissible online RMGs as per applicable laws/jurisprudence, any alleged advantage previously conferred to DFS (Daily Fantasy Sports) and Rummy apps is eliminated, and the competitive field is levelled,” Google said in its proposal.

 

Compliant RMG apps would be enabled to be distributed on the Google Play Store within 120 days of the acceptance of the tech giant’s proposal.

 

In the digital world, RMG refers to skill-based games such as rummy, poker, or fantasy sports, among others, where players can stake money to compete for cash rewards.

 

If the proposal is accepted, Google may also end up earning revenue from an expanded pool of RMG apps and associated advertising.