Google Play Betting Apps Policy Updated: Google Allows Gambling Apps In Multiple Countries

The Google App Store has had its policies towards Android app developers publishing gambling-oriented apps. Publishers must stay updated with these guidelines if they hope to publish their apps successfully. In this guide, we will discuss everything you need to know about the changes to Google publishing policies.

Google Play Betting Apps – Overview

Starting 1st March of 2021, Google made a critical move for the world of online gambling. They allowed gambling apps in the Play Store in 15 more countries other than the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, and Brazil, where they were already (partly or wholly) legal. This is a giant step in online gaming as it opens distribution to more gamers.

In 2023 and 2024, Google expanded the countries on its gambling list to accommodate more regions. Google further stated in its development blogs that it is committed to liberalizing recommended online casino apps on its Play Store within accepted guidelines. The company further indicated its commitment to working with regulators and ensuring more countries get access to these apps.

It’s a massive move for many operators and users out of the above countries, who, until then, were forced to distribute or download such apps directly from websites or to use third-party platforms. It led to many inconveniences, as users found it harder to find relevant mobile apps and revealed themselves to potential fraud attempts or viruses. Operators, on the other hand, struggled with promoting and maintaining sideloaded apps. As this divide is slowly closed, it is bound to bring favorable terms for all the parties involved.

These issues are now gone. Google will continue to update the countries as the regulations are relaxed and more players are allowed to access gambling apps on their devices. What are these countries, and what are the new rules that Google applied to gambling apps?

New Countries Where Gambling Apps are Allowed by Google

Based on the changes in gambling rules in some jurisdictions, Google now allows developers to publish their apps in a new list of countries. These new Google Play store rules will allow gambling apps and online casinos on Play Store in the following countries:

• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Canada
• Columbia
• Croatia
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Ethiopia
• Finland
• Germany
• Ghana
• Greece
• Hungary
• Japan
• Kenya
• Mexico
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Nigeria
• Norway
• Panama
• Portugal
• Romania
• Serbia
• Slovakia
• Spain
• US
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Tanzania
• Turkey

Does that mean that you can freely release your online gambling casino apps in any of those places? Not necessarily. First and foremost, these rules don’t apply equally to all countries and are massively dependent on national or state laws.

For instance, Google divides online gambling apps into four separate categories: Online Casinos (real money casino apps), Sports Betting software, Lotteries, Horse Racing (when licensed and regulated separated differently from sports betting), and Daily Fantasy Sports. In the least regulated countries like the UK, Denmark, or Mexico, all of these types can be legally published by private and government operators.

In all other countries, you’re limited to just 2 or 3 gambling app genres, and some of them are allowed for governmental or charitable operators only. There are a few industry-related exceptions, too. In Japan, it’s limited to horse racing, motorboat racing, bicycle racing, auto-bicycle racing, and soccer.

Among all countries newly allowed to publish online casino games, the US seems to be most regulated, and restrictions vary state-by-state. Other countries on the list have local regulations that deal with the publishing and distribution of casino games within their territory.

Online casino app developers should ensure that they familiarize themselves with the laws and relevant licenses needed to publish a casino app within their jurisdiction. This will make their casino apps legal and quicken the publishing process.

All Countries Where Gambling Apps are Allowed by Google

Casino gambling apps are available in 37 countries including the US. This is an expansion from the four countries (Brazil, France, the UK, and Ireland) where mobile casino apps were previously permissible. Under these new rules, sports betting, fantasy sports, casino app games, and lotteries will be available in the following countries:

• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium
• Brazil
• Bulgaria
• Canada
• Columbia
• Croatia
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Ethiopia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Ghana
• Greece
• Hungary
• Japan
• Kenya
• Mexico
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Nigeria
• Norway
• Panama
• Portugal
• Romania
• Serbia
• Slovakia
• Spain
• US
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Tanzania
• Turkey
• UK
• Ireland

Developers will be allowed to publish a mobile casino app or casino games within these jurisdictions as long as they follow laid-down guidelines. The mobile casinos must be approved by the regulatory body for the area where the casino app developer is located. Casino apps must also be submitted by developers who have a valid gambling license to create mobile casino sites/apps within their jurisdiction.

In these countries, Google will accept the publishing of real casino apps, social casino apps, real money casinos, and other gambling services. Casino licenses are also important in igaming development which is why all players must ensure that their apps fall within the jurisdiction of their licenses.

Regular Apps vs Real Money Gambling Apps on Play Store

Google allowing more countries to publish casino apps on their store legally doesn’t mean that they’re equal to regular apps in terms of the requirements for submitting, publishing, and promoting them. Regular apps have guidelines that cover their creation, vetting, and publishing separate from gambling apps.

The main difference is that publishers need to complete a Google Play application process, where they would ask you to authorize your operator status and your gambling license. You need to confirm that the app complies with all applicable laws for each country it’s distributed and doesn’t exceed the scope of the operator’s gambling license. This is to ensure that only legit online casino apps are made available to users.

What that also means is that even if the Android mobile casinos are approved, they will not be available to users in any other country than in the original one. These real money casino games also have a couple of other unique requirements too. Mobile casinos on the Play Store must:

• Prevent under-agers (players who are not yet 18) from using it,
• Be free to download and install (it can’t be purchasable as a paid app on the store),
• Be confirmed AO (Adult Only) or IARC (International Age Rating Coalition) equivalent,
• Not use Google Play In-app Billing.

The advertisement for gambling-related apps is regulated, too. It’s allowed only if the ads’ content complies with particular policies of certain types of games (complete list here) and if the ad airs in approved countries, doesn’t target minors, and informs about responsible gambling.

Real-money gaming is more heavily regulated than casual gaming apps. This is because money and gambling are involved in the creation of real money games. The involvement of regulatory bodies makes it harder for mobile casino gaming developers to get their apps accepted on an Android device. There are many types of real money games and they include mobile slot games, roulette games, live dealer games, online poker, progressive jackpots, and other mobile games that give players a chance to win real money prizes.

Release an Android Gambling App in a Country Blocked by Google

New Google rules are a massive step towards liberalizing online casino gambling, and there’s no doubt about it. However, it doesn’t cover all of the market’s needs: plenty of Android mobile gaming publishers and players from countries not covered by those policies will have to look for alternative ways.

There are still many countries that do not allow the publishing of a live casino app or other gambling services to the Google App Store. Passing these regulations needs skillful guidance from experienced hands with the required knowledge to navigate the regulatory minefield.

If you live in a country where Android gambling apps are not allowed by the Play Store and if you want to release one – feel free to reach out to us. We’d be more than happy to share the ins and outs of how you can do it with the help of social gaming apps and how unregulated markets can come to the rescue.