In an unexpected move, Google has removed the Paytm app from the Google Play Store for violating its gambling policies.
Paytm is one of the biggest e-commerce payment apps in the Indian market, with over 50 million monthly active users. In response, Paytm wrote in a tweet that the app would be back very soon.
In a stand-alone announcement post, Google said that the Play Store does not support Android apps that delve into online casino activities, support gambling, or facilitate sports betting. It is to be noted that the search giant didn’t take any names which means other apps might have been affected as well.
This comes after Paytm recently instilled a fantasy cricket tournament within the app. Google has also removed the Paytm First games app, which also featured sports fantasy games.
“If an app leads consumers to an external website that allows them to participate in paid tournaments to win real money or cash prizes, it is a violation of our policies,” Google said in the blog post.
The announcement comes a day before the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the country. Sports betting is prohibited in India; however the laws have been easy on Android apps that promote sports betting. To top it off, many fantasy sports have come up on the Google Play Store, where Indian users can bet on their favorite fantasy teams and players.
The Paytm app will most likely return in a while, but such a stringent step from Google makes it clear that the tech giant is serious about apps facilitating gambling practices.
The post Paytm Removed From Google Play Store For Violating Gambling Policies appeared first on Fossbytes.
Paytm Removed From Google Play Store For Violating Gambling Policies
read more
No comments:
Post a Comment