In a significant move to address anti-competition concerns raised by the Competition Commission of India (CCI), tech giant Google has proposed allowing all compliant real money games (RMGs) on its Play Store in India. The company also intends to update its Google Ads Policy to permit advertising of skill-based games in the country, subject to specific conditions.
The development follows a CCI-ordered investigation in response to a complaint filed by gaming platform Winzo Games. The complaint alleged discriminatory practices by Google in selectively onboarding only Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) and Rummy apps during its pilot program, while excluding other RMG operators.
In its formal submission to the regulator, Google said, “The Play Commitment Proposal, along with the Ads Commitment Proposal, addresses the Hon’ble Commission’s concerns by ensuring inclusive access to Google Play and Google Ads for all compliant RMGs, eliminating any alleged competitive disadvantages, and standardizing policies to prevent any adverse effects on competition.”
The CCI had previously highlighted that excluding certain RMG apps from the Play Store amounted to denial of market access and distorted fair competition. It also criticized the extended pilot program for benefiting a few incumbents and creating entry barriers for other game developers.
To remedy this, Google announced that it will discontinue the selective pilot and instead allow all RMGs—self-declared by developers as permissible under Indian laws and legal precedent—to be distributed on Google Play. This aims to create a level playing field for all developers in the RMG sector.
On the advertising front, Google’s revised Ads Policy will allow games of skill to be promoted in India, provided advertisers can demonstrate good standing with a recognized third-party agency and comply with additional safety and regulatory conditions.
Google also addressed concerns about payment warnings on its platforms, clarifying that such alerts are not targeted at specific developers but are applied uniformly as part of compliance with guidelines issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
The tech company further stated that it is in the process of developing a sustainable business model that aligns with commercial realities of the RMG ecosystem, signaling a broader shift in its stance towards India’s fast-growing online gaming industry.
The proposed changes mark a major policy evolution and are likely to impact the trajectory of the RMG sector in India, which has been pushing for fairer platform access and regulatory clarity.
By: Arushi Agarwal
