Play Store set to host all real-money games

Move to hinge on domestic regulation; fees model being "evolved"

- Shouvik Das

Android maker Google on Friday said it will start allowing all real-money games on its Play Store marketplace, as long as they are not illegal under local regulations.

The move follows a September 2022 pilot allowing online rummy games and what Google classified as ‘daily fantasy sports’, and will be brought into effect after the pilot ends on 30 June.

The move was welcomed by the online gaming industry, which is reeling from demands of more than ₹1.5 trillion ($18 billion) from India's tax regulator.

However, there could be concerns over the kinds of commissions that Google would charge from real-money games. A blog-post published on Thursday by Karan Gambhir, director of global trust and safety partnerships at Google, said the company will be "evolving (the) service fee model for RMG (real money gaming) to reflect the value Google Play provides, and to help sustain Android and Play ecosystems".