GooglePlay To Introduce Real Money Gambling Apps
The mobile gambling community was left in a whirlwind when Google announced it would be hosting real money gambling apps in its Android GooglePlay app store starting this August. Google has long been against having real money wagering, but this decision permits licensed operators to offer their products in countries that allow gambling. France, Ireland and the United Kingdom will be the first markets to feature real money gambling apps, but Google is planning on moving into other gambling-friendly jurisdictions in the coming months.
Prior to this announcement, only free play apps were available in both Google’s marketplace and the Apple Store. These apps feature different gambling types (slots, table games, etc.), but no actual money is being won or wagered. Players can elect to spend money on in-app purchases (i.e. more spins on a slot game), but this is voluntary. Google’s ban came in 2013 because it was too difficult to verify the age of all users and keep up with varying gambling laws across countries. If mobile users wanted to participate in real money gambling, they would have to visit an online site running a web-based application. Some online casinos offer a downloadable app, but the majority of users went the browser-based route for easy access.
What does this mean for the mobile gambling industry? Well, since Google owns close to 50% of the entire smartphone market, online gambling operators have a dense client base to pitch towards. Before, gambling ads were the only thing permitted (aside from free play games) on GooglePlay and were subject to certain restrictions. Advertisers were not allowed to target underage users and responsible gambling messages must be present. Google did put themselves in a contradictory position by allowing Daily Fantasy Sports apps DraftKings and FanDuel, which both feature real money gambling, onto their GooglePlay platform back in 2015, but it has taken this long for them to formally embrace the notion.
The tech giant has begun reaching out to gambling brands to inform them of their new policies. It is reported that developers must provide documentation regarding their apps’ legal licensing for countries they are looking to target. Gambling providers in the first batch of countries will likely jump on the chance to offer their mobile real money gambling apps to users. After all, gambling is a billion-dollar industry and the mobile front is becoming more and more popular with the smartphone wave.
Legitimate online gambling brands feature gambling software that renders beautifully designed games that function across a variety of devices. Responsive design technology supports consistent playability on different-sized screen dimensions and with varying software update levels. You can expect the real money gambling apps featured on the GooglePlay marketplace to incorporate this level of functionality standards. As the mobile gambling industry continues to roll out, the real money gambling section of the GooglePlay marketplace will expand.