CCI orders probe against Google, affiliates for unfair business in gaming apps' listing on Play Store

Fair commercialized regulator CCI connected Thursday ordered a probe against Google and its affiliates for alleged unfair concern practices with respect to listing of existent wealth gaming apps connected Play Store.

While passing the order, CCI said the "the Commission directs the Director General ('DG') to origin an probe to beryllium made into the substance nether the provisions of Section 26(1) of the Act".

The Commission besides directed the DG to implicit the probe and taxable a consolidated study wrong 60 days. The probe follows a ailment by Winzo Games, accusing Google of abusing its ascendant presumption and unfairly favouring prime gaming categories, thereby distorting competition.

In its 24-page order, the regulator noted that the selective inclusion of DFS and Rummy apps gives them an undue competitory advantage.

"Direct entree to end-users via the ascendant Play Store provides a important borderline to DFS and Rummy apps, perchance disadvantaging different RMG applications," the Commission said successful its order.

CCI besides flagged concerns regarding Google's sideloading warnings displayed erstwhile users effort to download RMG apps. These warnings, Winzo claimed, tarnish its estimation and discourage imaginable users from accessing its app.

Winzo besides alleged that warnings connected sideloading and payments were modular information measures aimed astatine safeguarding users. The regulator besides recovered that Google's justifications for its aviator programme and advertizing policies were inconsistent and ambiguous.

"The agelong duration of Google's aviator programme, risks perpetuating the advantages conferred upon selected participants, specified arsenic DFS and Rummy apps. "This temporal hold amplifies the anti-competitive effects by ensuring these apps proceed to bask preferential entree and visibility, which different competitors are denied," the CCI noted.

The regulator besides pointed retired that Google's dominance successful the Android ecosystem made it imperative to measure its policies for anti-competitive outcomes. The Play Store, being pre-installed connected each Android devices, is deemed a "must-have" level for app developers.

The exclusion of non-DFS and non-Rummy RMG apps from the Play Store amounts to a denial of marketplace access, the Commission said. While ordering its Director General (DG) to analyse the substance wrong 60 days, the CCI clarified that its observations were prima facie and not a last judgment.