Google to Lift Ban on Mobile Gambling Apps

With the exception of a few European countries like France and the UK, Google has taken a harsh stand against the inclusion of mobile gambling apps in its Google Play Store. Effective on March 1 of this year, the Play Store will be allowing mobile gambling companies to market their betting apps. While the decision to allow this policy change was made on January 20, 2021, news of the change was just released to the press.

On March 1, software developers and gambling providers in at least 15 additional countries will be able to offer their mobile gambling apps. Among the 15 countries will be U.S., Canada, Germany, Japan, and Mexico. It’s noteworthy that developers wanting to market their gambling apps will have to go through a rigorous application process in order to receive approval from Google Play’s content administrators.

To receive Google Play support, gambling providers must be legitimately licensed in the country in which they plan to offer mobile gambling services and their mobile apps. In addition, providers must be in compliance with all applicable laws and industry standards that are in force within the applicable countries. These are the standards being set forth by Google’s Developer Program Policy for Real-Money Gambling, Games, and Contests.

Among the most important compliance issues are requirements that listed gambling mobile apps must have safeguards in place that prevent underage gambling and gambling from countries where such activities are currently not legal.

Expecting an Explosion in Mobile Gambling in the U.S.

With this news comes the expectation that states, where mobile gambling is legal, will see a vast increase in mobile gambling activity. The huge increases in activity are expected in states like New Jersey, Iowa, Michigan, and Pennsylvania where owners of Android mobile devices have been sitting on the sidelines or having to visit retail sportsbooks. Without Google Play’s participation, the nation’s bookmakers likely exceeded $21 billion in sports betting handle in 2020 with approximately 82% of that coming from mobile wagering platforms.

With mobile sports gambling providers now able to move forward with cooperation from both the Apple App Store and Google Play, analysts will now be able to get a more comprehensive idea of the capacity of the gambling industry moving forward. The industry figures to also get an additional boost with states like Tennessee and Virginia also joining the ranks of states that now allow mobile sports betting.

All the pieces are in place for America’s gambling industry to finally show itself to the behemoth it was intended to be.