On November 28, India’s competition regulator initiated an investigation into Google's restrictive policies on real-money games in its app store, following a complaint filed by the online gaming platform WinZO, which accused the tech giant of discriminatory practices.

This investigation adds to the regulatory challenges Google is facing in India, where it has already faced multiple fines for allegedly exploiting its dominant position in the Android market.

After business hours in India and with the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, Google had not provided a response to inquiries seeking comment.

WinZO, which offers real-money gaming options, first brought the issue to the Competition Commission of India (CCI) in 2022. The complaint stemmed from a policy change by Google that continued to block WinZO’s inclusion on the Play Store, despite allowing competitors to offer similar services.

Under Google’s updated policy, real-money games were allowed for categories like fantasy sports and rummy. However, WinZO was excluded due to its inclusion of other games, such as carrom, puzzles, and car racing, which Google does not accept.

The CCI order highlighted that Google’s preferential treatment of certain app categories creates an uneven playing field, where some developers receive enhanced visibility and access, while others are unfairly disadvantaged.

The CCI official is expected to complete the investigation within 60 days.