Google Play Clarifies Ban on Real Money Gambling for Android Apps

Google Play recently made changes in the Developer Program Policies, which include among other things, the addition of the clause “or games of skill that offer prizes of cash or other value”. The clause was added to the previous policy that Google Play disallows “contents or services that facilitate online gambling, including but not limited to, online casinos, sports betting and lotteries.” 

This particular update aims to clarify issues whether or not casino apps for online poker and other purported games of skill are exclusions to the online gambling concept. The objective here is simply to streamline the available products at the Google Play Store in accordance with its content policies, which is in view of jurisdictional laws that prohibit Internet gambling in any form.

One may recall an occurrence last April 2013, when Australian Senator Richard di Natale publicly demanded Apple to remove PokerStar's real money online poker app from the App Store, since the Australian government considers Internet gambling as unlawful. In May 2013, local Australian authorities ordered a clamp down on mobile gambling apps, to which Apple had no choice but to take out PokerStars' and 888's iOS applications from Apple's distribution platform.

Earlier this month, Apple updated iOS developer guidelines by adding a policy that requires developers to ensure that apps for real money games (RMG) must have the approval and proper licensing of jurisdictions to where these will be distributed via the App Store.

As for recreational gamblers using Android devices, they can download the applicable app provided by bookmakers or casinos in their respective website. That way, the distribution of Android apps for RMGs is confined to geographical areas that permit and monitor online gambling operations.

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