The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has initiated an investigation into Google’s gaming app policies concerning real-money games, following a complaint from online gaming platform WinZO, which alleged discriminatory practices.
This development adds to Google’s regulatory challenges in India, where the tech giant has already faced multiple penalties for misusing its dominant position in the Android ecosystem.
Google has not yet commented on the matter, as the complaint coincided with the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States and after Indian working hours.
WinZO, known for offering real-money games, first approached the CCI in 2022. The company raised concerns about being excluded from Google’s Play Store despite updates to the platform’s policies. Google’s revised policy allowed real-money games for fantasy sports and rummy but continued to block apps like WinZO, which also features games such as carrom, puzzles, and car racing that do not fit Google’s criteria.
The CCI’s order highlighted that Google’s policy favors certain categories, creating an unfair market structure. “By granting preferential treatment to select app categories, Google effectively creates a two-tier market where some developers are accorded superior access and visibility while others are discriminated against and thus, left with a competitive disadvantage,” the order stated.
The CCI has instructed officials to complete the investigation within 60 days.
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