Winzo Games Private Limited Vs Google LLC (Competition Commission of India)
Summary: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has closed the inquiry initiated against Google LLC, Alphabet Inc., Google India Private Limited and Google India Digital Services Private Limited after a fundamental change in the legal framework governing online real-money games (RMGs). The matter originated from information filed by Winzo Games Private Limited under Section 19(1)(a) of the Competition Act, 2002, alleging abuse of dominant position under Section 4 in relation to Google Play’s RMG Pilot Program, Google Ads and payment warnings.
Google Play had permitted only Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) and Rummy applications under a Pilot Program, while other RMG applications were excluded. The Informant alleged that the selective onboarding was discriminatory and denied market access. It also challenged Google’s advertising policy, under which only DFS and Rummy RMG advertisers could use Google Ads, and alleged that payment warnings displayed through Google Pay were arbitrary. By order dated 28.11.2024 under Section 26(1) of the Competition Act, the CCI formed a prima facie view identifying relevant markets for licensable operating systems for smart mobile devices, Android app stores and online search advertising services, found Google prima facie dominant, and directed a DG investigation.
