Google faces probe over gaming app policies in India
India’s competition authority is probing Google for alleged bias in its gaming app policies.
India’s Competition Commission (CCI) has launched an investigation into Google’s gaming app policies following a complaint by gaming platform WinZO. The inquiry will examine allegations of discriminatory practices against apps offering real-money games.
WinZO accused Google of favouring certain categories, such as fantasy sports and rummy, while excluding others like carrom, puzzles, and racing games. The gaming platform filed the complaint in 2022, claiming Google’s updated policies create an uneven playing field, disadvantaging smaller developers.
The investigation compounds Google’s regulatory challenges in India, where it has already faced significant fines for anti-competitive behaviour in the Android ecosystem. A CCI official has been tasked with completing the inquiry within 60 days.
Google has yet to comment on the allegations, as the announcement coincided with Thanksgiving in the US.
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