google rmg games: Google expands Play Store policy to allow onboarding of more real-money games

The expansion of the policy to cover more games, “including game types and operators not covered by an existing licensing framework”, has been done based on the learnings and feedback of a pilot programme being run since September 2022, the company said.

The new policy is likely to give real money gaming companies a boost from the wide reach and availability of the Play Store in India, executives from gaming companies said.

“It will especially help MSMEs and new developers or platforms who will be able to compete with established companies, and will substantially bring down the user acquisition and other associated costs,” said Roland Landers, chief executive of the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF), an industry body.

Also read | ETtech Explainer: Google Play Store says it will allow real money gaming apps. What does this mean?

Since September 2022, Google has been running an application-only pilot programme to enable the distribution of daily fantasy sport and rummy game apps that had been developed by India-incorporated developers. The pilot was scheduled to end on January 15 but has now been extended till June 30.

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“We are pleased that this new approach will provide new business opportunities to developers globally while continuing to prioritise user safety. It also enables developers currently participating in RMG (real money games) pilots in India,” the company said in a blog.The reach will not come free, however. The RMG apps will have to pay a service fee to Google.

“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,” Google said.

The company did not, however, give details of the proposed fee model. This, gaming company executives said, could add to the already existing financial burden due to the highest tax slab currently being imposed on real money games.

“As is with a lot of other sectors, being on the Play Store could become a necessary pain – the hope is that the bump in customer acquisition will be worth the service charges levied on us,” a senior gaming industry executive said, asking not to be named.

Though Google has in the past said it would wait for the government to recognise self-regulatory bodies (SRBs) for the gaming industry before making a decision on whether to allow real money games on the Play Store, the company has gone ahead with the decision to host these games anyway as the possibility of formation of an SRB looks slim now.

ET reported on September 29 that the government had deferred plans to form SRBs after a lack of consensus among key ministries.

Another key aspect, industry executives said, is that there is a lack of clarity from Google on the kind of real money game apps that would be allowed and those that would not be allowed to be hosted on its Play Store.

Gaming apps and platforms that are allowed to be onboarded would have a disproportionate advantage in terms of reach and marketing over peers that do not get onboarded, these executives said.

The expansion of the policy to cover more games, “including game types and operators not covered by an existing licensing framework”, has been done based on the learnings and feedback of a pilot programme being run since September 2022, the company said.

The new policy is likely to give real money gaming companies a boost from the wide reach and availability of the Play Store in India, executives from gaming companies said.

“It will especially help MSMEs and new developers or platforms who will be able to compete with established companies, and will substantially bring down the user acquisition and other associated costs,” said Roland Landers, chief executive of the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF), an industry body.

Also read | ETtech Explainer: Google Play Store says it will allow real money gaming apps. What does this mean?

Since September 2022, Google has been running an application-only pilot programme to enable the distribution of daily fantasy sport and rummy game apps that had been developed by India-incorporated developers. The pilot was scheduled to end on January 15 but has now been extended till June 30.

Discover the stories of your interest

“We are pleased that this new approach will provide new business opportunities to developers globally while continuing to prioritise user safety. It also enables developers currently participating in RMG (real money games) pilots in India,” the company said in a blog.The reach will not come free, however. The RMG apps will have to pay a service fee to Google.

“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,” Google said.

The company did not, however, give details of the proposed fee model. This, gaming company executives said, could add to the already existing financial burden due to the highest tax slab currently being imposed on real money games.

“As is with a lot of other sectors, being on the Play Store could become a necessary pain – the hope is that the bump in customer acquisition will be worth the service charges levied on us,” a senior gaming industry executive said, asking not to be named.

Though Google has in the past said it would wait for the government to recognise self-regulatory bodies (SRBs) for the gaming industry before making a decision on whether to allow real money games on the Play Store, the company has gone ahead with the decision to host these games anyway as the possibility of formation of an SRB looks slim now.

ET reported on September 29 that the government had deferred plans to form SRBs after a lack of consensus among key ministries.

Another key aspect, industry executives said, is that there is a lack of clarity from Google on the kind of real money game apps that would be allowed and those that would not be allowed to be hosted on its Play Store.

Gaming apps and platforms that are allowed to be onboarded would have a disproportionate advantage in terms of reach and marketing over peers that do not get onboarded, these executives said.