As 9to5Google reminds us, Google allowed gambling and betting Android apps to appear in the Play Store in 2021 in markets with pre-existing licensing frameworks. “Since then, this app category has continued to flourish with developers creating new RMG experiences for mobile”, Google says and adds:
Based on the learnings from the pilots and positive feedback from users and developers, Google Play will begin supporting more RMG apps this year, including game types and operators not covered by an existing licensing framework.
Google Play will launch the expanded RMG support in June to developers for users in India, Mexico, and Brazil. Later, the plan is to expand to more countries, if everything goes well.
Google Play’s existing developer policies supporting user safety, such as requiring age-gating to limit RMG experiences to adults and requiring developers to use geo-gating to offer RMG apps only where legal, remain unchanged. “We’ll continue to strengthen them”, the blog reads. In addition, Google Play will continue other key user safety and transparency efforts such as “expanded developer verification mechanisms”.
What’s more, there will be a service fee. Previously, the RMG apps had to be free to install and couldn’t use Google Play Billing, but this will change, as Google states: “We are working closely with developers to ensure our new approach reflects the unique economics and various developer earning models of this industry. We will have more to share in the coming months on our new policy and future expansion plans”.
