It’s no secret that most people use smartphones these days. The main contenders in the market are the Apple iPhone and Android devices. Examples of the latter include the Samsung Galaxy S7 and LG’s G5.
One thing that Android users have often wondered is why they aren’t “allowed” to gamble. At least, not on their smartphones. Believe it or not, many users migrated over to iOS for that sole reason! In case you didn’t know, the Google Play store doesn’t allow gambling apps. Don’t believe me? Try searching for a few well-known ones!
Apple iPhone users could use gambling and betting apps for years. Their App Store is awash with titles that allow users to do anything like bet on sports events or casino games. To use a gambling app on an Android device, one must sideload it. The process involves changing the security settings to allow downloads from unknown sources.
Many established gambling and betting brands have native gambling apps for Android users. Before they download them from their sites, they must adjust their device’s security settings.
Why has Google banned gambling apps?
Perhaps one of the main reasons to justify the ban is how the Google Play store works. Compared to the Apple App Store, the Google Play store works in a different way.
iOS app developers have to submit their titles for approval by Apple themselves. It’s a process that takes a long time due to stringent tests and checks they make. Things differ with Google Play because there is no approval process.
That means app developers can publish whatever they want with ease. Still, if that’s the case, why do they ban gambling apps? The unofficial reason is they can’t determine whether gambling apps do what they say.
Google still have the power to remove apps from the Play store, of course. But, they don’t have a dedicated team of app approvers like their competitors Apple.
Another reason comes down to geo-location barriers. For example, online gambling is illegal in the United States but not in some other countries. The Apple App Store is actually a series of local stores. For example, there’s one for the USA, one for the UK, and so forth.
In comparison, Google Play is a singular global app store. There is currently no way of preventing apps from getting downloaded in some regions.
Google doesn’t want to invest money into approving apps and creating several stores. Instead, they want to keep things simple and have a blanket ban on gambling apps. At least, they did until recently!
Is Google reversing its stance on gambling apps?
Back in September 2015, Fortune Magazine reported that Google allowed some gambling apps. This happened on the eve of the NFL season in the United States.
Google nor the app developers declined to officially state why the apps are available. Unofficially, of course, there is a
If the pilot is successful, it could mean Google changes its stance on gambling apps. Still, it would need to do some major changes and perhaps follow Apple’s lead on app approvals.
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