The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has initiated an investigation into Google’s policies regarding real-money gaming applications on its platform. This decision follows a complaint from WinZO, an online gaming platform, which accused Google of discriminatory practices.
This development adds to the regulatory challenges faced by Google in India, where the tech giant has already been subjected to multiple penalties for leveraging its dominant market position in the Android operating system sector.
At the time of publishing, Google had not responded to inquiries made after business hours in India, coinciding with the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S.
WinZO, which provides a range of real-money games, initially raised concerns with the CCI back in 2022. This complaint was prompted by a change in Google’s app policy, which continued to exclude WinZO from the Play Store despite allowing other competing platforms.
Google’s updated policy permits real-money games specifically for fantasy sports and rummy. However, WinZO was excluded because it also offers games in categories not recognized by Google, including traditional Indian games like carrom, puzzles, and car racing.
The CCI’s order noted, “By granting preferential treatment to select app categories, Google effectively creates a two-tier market where some developers enjoy superior access and visibility, while others are discriminated against and left at a competitive disadvantage.”
An official from the CCI is anticipated to complete the investigation within the next 60 days.
© Thomson Reuters 2024
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
