Hold onto your hats, mobile gamers, because Google is shaking things up on the Play Store with their recently announced RMG games policy.
The new policy opens the gates for RMGs that fall outside the realm of existing regulations. This means games like fantasy sports, rummy, and potentially others, won’t require a pre-existing legal framework to be considered for listing.
This opens up a wider avenue for developers and potentially expands the gaming options for users in previously restrictive regions.
Google has announced its decision on RMG games policy change with the following words:
”Based on the learnings from the pilots and positive feedback from users and developers, Google Play will begin supporting more RMG apps this year, including game types and operators not covered by an existing licensing framework. We’ll launch this expanded RMG support in June to developers for their users in India, Mexico, and Brazil, and plan to expand to users in more countries in the future”.
–Google.
What are RMG games?
RMG stands for Real Money Gaming, which refers to any type of game where players use real money to participate with the chance of winning more in return. These games encompass a wide range of formats and genres, but generally fall into two main categories:
- Games of chance
- Games of skill
Games of chance
- Casino games: This includes classics like slots, roulette, blackjack, and poker, where outcomes are largely determined by luck and random number generators
- Lottery-style games: These involve purchasing tickets or entries with the chance of winning prizes, often large jackpots, through random draws
- Sports betting: Players wager on the outcome of real-world sporting events
Games of skill
- Fantasy sports: Users draft virtual teams of real-world athletes and earn points based on their actual performance in real-world games
- Skill-based card games: Games like rummy and some types of poker, where success depends on a blend of strategy, probability, and reading your opponents
- E-sports with wagering: While esports competitions themselves aren’t usually considered RMG, some platforms allow players to place bets on the outcome of matches
The legal and regulatory landscape around RMG games varies significantly across different countries and regions. Some countries have strict restrictions or outright bans, while others have established frameworks for licensing and operating RMG platforms.
This is why Google’s recent policy change regarding RMG games on the Play Store is significant, as it opens up access to a broader range of games for users in certain previously restricted areas, primarily focusing on games of skill.
Not the Wild West yet
With the introduction of Google’s new policy for gambling-related apps on its Play Store, there comes a greater freedom for developers to create and publish such apps. However, this increased freedom also brings with it a greater responsibility to ensure that these apps are developed and published in a responsible and legal manner.
Google has emphasized that developers will still need to comply with all local guidelines and regulations, as well as Google’s own policies, when it comes to gambling-related apps. These policies include age restrictions, responsible gaming practices, and robust Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols.
In other words, developers must ensure that their apps are not accessible to minors, and that they promote responsible gaming practices, such as providing tools for players to set limits on their spending and time spent playing. Additionally, developers must implement robust KYC protocols to verify the age and identity of their players.
The onus lies not only on developers but also on Google to ensure that these apps are developed and published in a responsible, legal, and age-appropriate manner. Google has a responsibility to its users, especially minors, to protect them from potentially harmful or addictive content.
Therefore, while the new policy offers greater freedom for developers, it also comes with a greater responsibility to ensure that gambling-related apps are developed and published in a responsible and legal manner. This is a positive step forward in creating a safer and more secure online gaming environment for all users.
If you are a developer of RMG games and want to apply for the pilot program, use the application links below:
- RMG games application for the Mexico Pilot program
- RMG games application for the India Pilot program
But if you are not a developer, what do you think about the recent changes? Are you excited about the expansion of RMGs on the Play Store? What are your concerns?
In our opinion, gaming is fun, but losing money and getting addicted to it doing so isn’t.
Featured image credit: jcomp/Freepik.
