Google is planning to support more real-money games on the Play Store. The search giant will begin rolling out the program with just India, Mexico and Brazil in June 2024.
Google says it will soon allow more real-money games on the Play store. But before we talk about Google’s new plans, what are real-money games? As the name suggests, these apps allow players to bet and win real money on games. It’s basically gambling. Some real-money game app categories include ââonline casino games, lotteries, sports betting, and daily fantasy sports. Real money games come with a full set of disclaimers for addiction. The Indian government also has a number of rules around real-money games, and Google plans to support real-money game apps on its store in adherence with these rules.
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Google has said that the program to support real money games on Play Store will start in India, Brazil and Mexico in June 2024. The search giant plans to roll out the program to more countries in the future, but that timeline has not been shared yet. Additionally, Google is also planning to roll out a service fees model for subscription and in-app purchases for real money games. However, the company is yet to disclose details on the structure of the service fees, its own share in the revenue, or any policies around the program.
The implementation of a service fee on real-money games is poised to play a crucial role in contributing to the revenue of the Google Play Store. This move comes at a time when the company is under global scrutiny for its stance on permitting developers to utilise alternative payment methods.
“With this policy update, we will also be evolving our service fee model for RMG [real money games] to reflect the value Google Play provides and to help sustain the Android and Play ecosystems. We are working closely with developers to ensure our new approach reflects the unique economics and various developer earning models of this industry,” says Karan Gambhir, Director, Global Trust & Safety Partnerships at Google.
In India, Google has already been testing to allow more real money game apps like fantasy sports and Rummy apps on the Play Store.
As per the Indian laws, gambling applications, particularly those based on skill, are not prohibited, with specific regulations in place. In states like Nagaland, Sikkim, and Kerala, online gambling apps are permitted but strictly regulated, allowing only skill-based games. These apps must obtain licenses to operate within these states. Conversely, Telangana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu have explicitly banned gambling apps in their regions.
West Bengal lacks laws preventing online gambling apps, while Goa, although considering them illegal, witnesses continued usage. Each state has its set of gambling laws, with the 1867 Public Gambling Act being the sole central legislation. The IT Act of 2000 oversees these acts, neither penalising individuals for gambling app usage nor explicitly permitting certain foreign and illegal websites that could pose harm through immoral means.
Published By:
Nandini Yadav
Published On:
Jan 12, 2024
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