The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has closed its antitrust investigation into Google's policies governing real-money gaming (RMG) apps, concluding that recent legislative changes have fundamentally altered the market at the centre of the case.
The investigation began after gaming company WinZO Games filed a complaint in 2022, alleging that Google had abused its dominant position by allowing only daily fantasy sports and rummy apps onto the Play Store under a pilot programme while excluding other real-money gaming operators. The CCI ordered a formal investigation in November 2024 after finding prima facie grounds to examine potential abuse of dominance.
During the investigation, Google submitted a series of commitments, ultimately proposing to allow all legally permissible skill-based real-money games on the Play Store, subject to certification and other requirements. The company also proposed permitting advertising for eligible games of skill.
However, the regulatory landscape changed significantly with the introduction of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, which came into force on 1 May 2026. The legislation prohibits online money games, their advertising and payment facilitation without distinguishing between games of skill and games of chance.
The CCI said the new legal framework meant there was no longer a lawful real-money gaming market on Google Play or Google Ads in which one category of developers could be favoured over another. It also noted that Google had already ended its RMG pilot programme and stopped accepting real-money gaming advertisements from January 2026, ahead of the legislation taking effect.
WinZO subsequently sought to withdraw its complaint during a hearing on 25 August, citing the change in law. While the regulator said it was not obliged to terminate proceedings simply because the complainant withdrew, it concluded independently that continuing the investigation would serve no useful purpose.
The CCI nevertheless left open the possibility of reopening the matter if the relevant provisions of the Online Gaming Act are stayed, repealed or otherwise cease to apply and similar competition concerns arise.
The decision comes as India's Supreme Court prepares to hear a series of constitutional challenges to the Online Gaming Act, with the outcome expected to shape the future regulation of the country's online gaming sector.
The constitutionality of India's online gaming law remains under challenge before the Supreme Court
