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Google Play Store Lifts the Ban on Gambling Apps in 15 Countries Starting March 1

Article by : Helen Feb 5, 2021

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Google has succumbed to the increasing demand for gambling apps and will lift the ban on gambling apps in 15 more countries starting March 1, bringing the total number of available markets to 19. Four types of apps can fall under the category: online casino games, lotteries, sports betting, and daily fantasy sports.

Thee Developer Program Policy amendments will allow submitting gambling apps for the following markets: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the United States.

Of course, each app will have to go through the application process to prove it meets Google’s standards and requirements before being published on the Android app marketplace.

However, online casino operators probably shouldn’t pop the champagne just yet: each jurisdiction comes with its own set of rules that must be carefully considered. For instance, in Canada, Finland, and New Zealand, Google Play Store will allow only governmental operators’ apps on the marketplace.

In the U.S., the types of allowed apps will vary from state to state. Online casino games will be available only in Delaware, Nevada (poker only), New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, while sports betting apps will be allowed in 13 states and the District of Columbia, with three of them coming with the ‘governmental operators only’ restriction.

All gambling apps have to be rated ‘Adults Only’ within the Google Play Store to prevent underage users from accessing the app. They must also be free to download. Other requirements include placing information on responsible gaming within the app and its description in a clear manner, having a valid gambling license for each jurisdiction, and preventing users outside of the licensed territories from using the app.

For now, Google Play Store allows gambling apps in only four countries: the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, and Brazil, each with its own set of restrictions, too. In Brazil, for example, Android users can find only state-licensed horserace betting and lottery apps in Google Play Store.

Unlike Apple’s AppStore, Google has been lagging behind in its policies on gambling apps. On the other hand, AppStore has been okay with such apps distributed via their marketplace platform for years. Apple admits that such apps “tend to be one of the most regulated offerings on the App Store,” as put in the App Store Review Guidelines.

Despite the ban, Android users still found a way to install online casino apps by downloading the installation file (APK) directly from the operators’ websites (it’s a practice known as side-loading). However, this is not ideal: without the vetting process, developers may include viruses and trackers in the distributed software, which puts users’ safety at risk.

On the other hand, Apple’s relaxed stance on in-store gambling apps has recently gotten them into a pickle. Two casino app users filed a lawsuit against the tech company in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, saying that Apple violates a California law prohibiting slot machines, and it should also be found guilty of racketeering and collection of unlawful debts.

According to the plaintiffs, as Apple gets a 30% commission of all in-app purchases made in online casino apps, it has to share the blame. As put in the complaint itself, “By utilizing Apple for distribution and payment processing, the social casinos entered into a mutually beneficial business partnership.”