CCI closes WinZO’s Google antitrust case after online gaming ban

MUMBAI: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has closed its antitrust probe into Google’s treatment of real-money gaming (RMG) apps, citing the subsequent statutory ban on online money games.

The regulator, however, clarified that closing the matter does not amount to a finding on the merits of allegations that Google engaged in anti-competitive conduct.

The case stemmed from a complaint by WinZO Games against Google LLC, Alphabet Inc and Google’s Indian entities. WinZO had alleged that Google abused its dominant position under Section 4 of the Competition Act, 2002, by treating different categories of RMG apps differently on Google Play and Google Ads.

WinZO challenged Google’s 2022 pilot programme, under which only Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) and Rummy RMG apps were permitted on the Play Store, while other real-money gaming applications were excluded.

It also objected to Google’s advertising policy, which allowed advertisements for DFS and Rummy apps, as well as warnings displayed when users attempted certain payments through Google Pay.

In November 2024, the CCI directed an investigation and found Google dominant in the markets for licensable mobile operating systems, Android app stores and online search advertising services in India.

The regulator said the selective admission of DFS and Rummy apps could create a “two-tier market” and disadvantage competing RMG developers.

Google later invoked the commitment mechanism introduced under Section 48B of the Competition Act. Its proposal contemplated opening Google Play and Google Ads to legally permissible skill-based RMG apps, subject to certification requirements.

The legal position changed after Parliament enacted the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025.

The law, which came into force on May 1, 2026, prohibits online money games, their advertisements and the facilitation of payments for such games. The prohibition does not distinguish between games of skill and games of chance.

The CCI noted that the validity of the legislation is under challenge before the Supreme Court, but no stay on its operation had been brought to the regulator’s notice.

According to the CCI, the law now imposes a complete and game-neutral prohibition, meaning there is no lawful RMG market on Google Play or Google Ads that could be opened to one category of developers while being denied to another.

The regulator therefore held that the relief originally sought by WinZO could no longer be granted. Directing Google to host or advertise RMG applications would itself conflict with the new legislation.

Google had also shut its RMG pilot programme and stopped accepting real-money gaming advertisements from January 2026, before the new law came into force.

WinZO sought to withdraw its complaint in August 2026, citing the change in law.

The CCI nevertheless stressed that competition proceedings are inquisitorial and in rem, meaning an informant cannot unilaterally determine whether proceedings should be terminated.

The Commission ultimately concluded that continuing the investigation was unnecessary because of the new legislation, the absence of an effective remedy, the discontinuation of Google’s RMG pilot and WinZO’s withdrawal request.

The CCI also rejected Google’s proposal to offer a fresh commitment to close the pilot and prohibit RMG advertisements.

It said these steps had become statutory requirements rather than voluntary competition remedies.

“Accepting such an offer may amount to treating mandatory statutory compliance as a negotiated competition remedy,” the Commission said.

WinZO Games was represented by advocate Pranav Chadha.

Google was represented by advocates Karan Singh Chandhiok, Tarun Donadi and Uday Bali from Chandhiok & Mahajan, along with advocate Rahul Rai from Axiom5 Law Chambers.

Aditi Gopalakrishnan and Arunima Chatterjee appeared as representatives of Google.