Google proposes new rules for gaming-apps to dodge antitrust scrutiny
What's the story
Google has proposed changes to its policies for hosting real-money gaming (RMG) apps on the Play Store in India. The move aims to avoid an antitrust investigation by the Competition Commission of India (CCI). The proposal was made after a complaint from WinZO Games, a skill-based RMG platform, led to a CCI probe in November 2024. This proposal is part of Google's broader effort to voluntarily correct its conduct and avoid litigation, in addition to addressing complaints.
Policy changes
Preliminary investigation found potential competition law breaches
The CCI's preliminary investigation found preliminary evidence suggesting that Google may have breached Indian competition laws by promoting only two types of games, Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) and Rummy, through a selective pilot program. The new "Play Commitment Proposal" from Google seeks to end this limited pilot and allow all skill-based real-money games that developers self-declare as permissible under Indian laws on the Play Store in India.
Implementation timeline
Changes to advertising policy as well
The CCI has said that once the proposal is approved, Google will implement the changes within 120 days. Google filed the proposal on behalf of itself, parent company Alphabet Inc., and two Indian affiliates. The commission also flagged the company's ad policy, which only allowed promotions for DFS and Rummy. In response, Google has also proposed to change its advertising policy to allow all skill-based games to advertise on the platform.