Google India removed the Paytm app from the Android Play Store for several hours on Friday, accusing it of violating its policies on gambling before restoring it later in the day after India’s largest startup complied with the tech giant’s rules.
Google objected to Paytm’s integration of real-money gaming apps or websites into its main payments app, a person familiar with the development said.
With the IPL season round the corner, Google India through a blogpost on Friday reiterated its guidelines on gambling for app developers. Paytm’s fantasy sports app, Paytm First Games, was also pulled from the Android Play Store.
“We don’t allow online casinos or support any unregulated gambling apps that facilitate sports betting. This includes 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,” the Google blog post said.
