Online gambling was considered a legal grey zone in countries like the United States and Canada for a long time. However, this all started to change in recent years, most notably between 2018 and 2021, when governments began making massive legislation changes encompassing online gambling and its legality for their citizens. The period saw the US and Canada’s state and provincial governments make sweeping changes to allow activities like sports betting and online casino games.
Many regions have since welcomed online gambling into their borders, allowing residents to partake in sports betting, live casinos, and slot sites ranked by the Gambling.com website. The options for gambling activities vary significantly among these states and provinces; some have only embraced sports betting, while others have embraced a variety of online gambling offerings.
These significant regulatory changes led to shifts in online options, including introducing regulated gambling apps to online marketplaces. This led to their addition to the Google Play store on Android devices, not just in Canada and the United States but in multiple other countries as well.
Countries Where Gambling Apps Are Available
In 2021, Google announced that it would make gambling apps available in 15 countries, including Canada and the United States, as well as Australia, Belgium, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Romania, Spain, and Sweden. At the time of the announcement, these types of apps were only available in four countries: the United Kingdom, France, Ireland, and Brazil.
Since the 2021 announcement, the Google Play store has now added 19 more countries, including Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Kenya, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Tanzania, and Turkey. Altogether, this means gambling apps are now available in almost 40 countries worldwide.
The apps provide players with a wide range of gambling options, such as online casino games, sports betting, horse race betting, lotteries, and fantasy sports; however, these are offered with limitations and restrictions based on each region and the Google Play store’s restrictions for gambling apps.
Restrictions on the Availability of Gambling Apps in the Google Play Store
The Google Play store doesn’t allow just any gambling app to be available to download. The tech giant requires app developers to undergo a strict application process, adhere to the regulations of the regions where the apps operate, and meet several other standards set forth by Google’s policies.
Application Process
Any time a gambling app developer wants to be listed on the Google Play store or added to the selection of apps on the store in new regions, the developer must complete Google’s application process. The process requires the developer to provide details about their licensing, including a copy of their license for the area or areas of operation, and ensures the developer adheres to the region’s guidelines. The review process can take up to a week, and developers can be rejected for any violations or trying to bypass the Google certification process. The process must be repeated if the app undergoes changes in ownership, licensing, or authorization.
Licensing and Adhering to Regional Laws
All apps available to Google Play users need to meet the regional gambling laws for where they operate. Apps also need to ensure that they continue to adhere to their licensing, which includes strict regulations that apps do not offer gambling activities for which they are not licensed. Attempting to do this can result in the app being removed from Google Play and passing the application process in the future.
Adult-Only Ratings and Underage User Restrictions
No matter where a gambling app is licensed to operate, Google Play requires app developers to give their apps an AO (adults only) rating or its equivalent in the jurisdiction it will be operating in. Additionally, apps must implement safeguards to prevent underage users from using them, such as requiring ID to verify a player’s age before facilitating gameplay. This is already a requirement for gambling operators in many regions, but Google takes it a step further for app developers who may be operating in areas with less stringent regulations.
Free to Download
Any gambling apps offered through Google Play must be free to download. They also cannot be connected to Google Play’s in-app billing, a feature that financially protects players and Google.
Responsible Gambling Practices
Google Play also requires gambling apps to include information about responsible gambling within the app itself. Many governing bodies require licensed gambling operators to include this information and to implement responsible gambling tools, but Google Play takes it a step further by requiring this information in the app’s store listing.
What About APK Downloads for Regions Not Included in Google Play?
Accessing gambling apps is far more complicated for people outside the countries where Google Play has allowed them to be downloaded. They require an Android Package Kit (APK), a file format containing all of the app’s information. An APK file can be thought of as acting like a ZIP file, which comprises multiple files and data that can easily be transferred to different devices. The app would need to be manually installed using the APK file.
While legal, APKs can come with additional risks and headaches, as there are fewer regulations and safeguards around their downloads and installations. Android users who opt to use them are accepting risks, like the potential of installing malware that compromises their personal data or gaming through an unregulated and unlicensed operator. For Android users considering this, it’s essential that they carefully vet APK providers and have security measures in place, like anti-virus software, to detect malware and protect their personal information.
