Google Halts Expansion of Real-Money Gaming Apps, Citing Regulatory Challenges

New Delhi: Google has suspended its ongoing pilot program that allowed fantasy sports and rummy games to be listed on its Google Play Store, extending a “grace period” specifically for India. This decision halts the planned broader access to real-money games on the Play Store, which was set to expand in January. Existing apps will remain on the platform for the time being.

The pilot, which began in July last year and was extended in January to India, Brazil, and Mexico, has been paused due to the absence of a “central licensing framework.” Google cited regulatory complexities as the reason for this suspension, stating, “Expanding our support of real-money gaming apps in markets without a central licensing framework has proven more difficult than expected, and we need additional time to get it right for our developer partners and the safety of our users.”

This move is a significant setback for India's online gaming sector, which is embroiled in legal debates over whether such games are ‘games of skill’ or ‘games of chance’. Legal challenges against the ban on online gaming in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are currently pending before the Supreme Court.

Google is developing its own framework to determine which applications are permissible in this sector. Meanwhile, in India, the company is extending the grace period for the pilot program, allowing existing fantasy sports and rummy game apps to stay on the Play Store. This decision underscores the ongoing regulatory hurdles faced by the online gaming industry in India and the need for clear guidelines.

Source: https://www.livemint.com/companies/google-suspends-online-gaming-trial-on-play-store-citing-lack-of-regulations-11718981111703.html