Google has landed in hot water after the Indian competition watchdog ordered a new investigation concerning the search giant's gaming app policy around real-money games. This comes after an online gaming platform, WinZO, approached the Competition Commission of India (CCI) with a complaint and alleged discrimination.
WinZO lets users play real money games across various categories. Google made policy changes in the past, which allowed its competitors on Google Play but continued to exclude WinZO. CCI's order notes that having access to the Google Play Store made competitors such as Dream 11 gain "additional user traction."
Google's updated policy allowed real-money games related to fantasy sports and rummy. However, doors remained closed for WinZO as the platform offered real-money games of puzzles, car racing, and carrom, which weren't accepted under Google's policy. That's when WinZO approached CCI for the first time in 2022.
The investigation is expected to finish within 60 days. In its order, the Competition Commission of India said:
By granting preferential treatment to select app categories, Google effectively creates a two-tier market where some developers are accorded superior access and visibility while others are discriminated against and thus, left with a competitive disadvantage.
This adds to the list of legal troubles Google continues to face in different parts of the world. CCI previously slapped the Alphabet-owned company twice with huge fines in 2022 over anti-competitive practices related to Android mobile devices and Play Store policies. However, recently, the company overturned a $1.66 billion antitrust fine initially imposed by the European Union in 2019.
Google has a massive presence in the search engine space. It was reported earlier this year that the US Department of Justice plans to potentially make Google break off its search business from the main company and create a fair playing field for other search engines.
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