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Indian antitrust watchdog, CCI, has opened an investigation into Google's gaming app policy where real money is involved. The probe comes as a result of WinZO’s complaint against the giant. Google is facing multiple penalties for dominating the Android OS in India by stifling competition.
The investigation comes following a 2022 complaint by WinZO, alleging that Google’s new policy regarding gaming apps is discriminatory and unfavorable to its competitors.
According to WinZO’s Google complaint, although this e-gaming platform offers real-money gaming apps, its presence was restricted from the Google Play Store. Google allowed the company games in areas like fantasy sports and rummy. However, WinZo’s other games, like carrom, puzzles, and car racing, were restricted on the Play Store app.
According to CCI, Google's policy leads to a ‘two-tier market,’ providing an advantage to some categories while providing a competitive disadvantage to others. WinZO states that its exclusion is unjust since its competitors provide similar types of games and have not faced such restrictions.
This investigation can seriously affect Google’s position in the Indian market, where its commercial practices are already being scrutinized. The CCI is expected to conclude the probe within 60 days.
This news comes at a time when Google is facing a similar complaint by a company called Epic Games. The developer of Fortnite has alleged that Alphabet's Google and Samsung conspired to limit competition by restricting downloads from stores other than theirs. Read more
Google has yet to provide a public comment in response to the complaint. The company’s legal and regulatory troubles in India have intensified in recent years. In recent cases, Google has been fined for alleged anti-competitive behavior related to its Android mobile operating system and the Play Store policies.
The outcome of this Google India probe could set a big precedent for how tech companies would operate in the country's rapidly growing digital ecosystem.
