Paytm app removed: In a surprise move, Google on Friday pulled the Paytm app from the Google Play store. Google has said that it won’t endorse any gambling app on its platform and has posted a blog that talks about Play gambling policies. We have reached out to Paytm for the story and will be updating once we hear from them. Also read: Private Railways Will Have Freedom To Set Their Own Fares: Government
Google on Friday posted a blog titled “Understanding our Play gambling policies in India” where it highlighted the issues related to such apps that endorse or promote gambling in India.
Paytm app removed
“Google Play is designed to provide a safe and secure experience for our consumers while also giving developers the platform and tools they need to build sustainable businesses. Our global policies have always been designed with that goal in mind, considering the good of all our stakeholders,” said Google in its blog.
Explained: Why was Paytm removed from Google Play Store and what it means for other gaming platforms In the afternoon news broke about Paytm being pulled down from the Google Play Store,. Google has removed Paytm's mobile application from its mobile app store platform Play Store. The search engine giant has cited its policies on gaming and betting as the reason for the move.
Highlighting the issue of online casinos available through the app, Google’s Suzanne Frey, Vice President, Product, Android Security, and Privacy wrote, “We don’t allow online casinos or support any unregulated gambling apps that facilitate sports betting. This includes if an app leads consumers to an external website that allows them to participate in paid tournaments to win real money or cash prizes, it is a violation of our policies.”
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Paytm app removed from Google Play Store a few hours after Google’s Suzanne Frey, who is Vice President, Product, Android Security, and Privacy, detailed the guidelines in a blog post. “We have these policies to protect users from potential harm. When an app violates these policies, we notify the developer of the violation and remove the app from Google Play until the developer brings the app into compliance. And in the case where there are repeated policy violations, we may take more serious action which may include terminating Google Play Developer accounts. Our policies are applied and enforced on all developers consistently,” she wrote.
“We have the same goals for our gambling policy. We don’t allow online casinos or support any unregulated gambling apps that facilitate sports betting. This includes if an app leads consumers to an external website that allows them to participate in paid tournaments to win real money or cash prizes, it is a violation of our policies,” wrote Suzanne.
What this means is that Google has apparently removed Paytm from the Play store because it believed the app was violating its new guidelines on online gambling or contests.
Reports have claimed that Google had notified the developers of Paytm about the removal and it continues to be in touch with Paytm to get the app back on Play Store.
Paytm is owned by an Indian company called One97 Communications Ltd, which was founded by Vijay Shekhar Sharma but the company had received massive funding from fintech firm Ant Financials, which is an ally of China’s Alibaba group.
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Paytm is back on the Play Store hours after the app was taken down for violating policies on gambling. Earlier today, Google removed the Paytm app from the Play Store while other apps like Paytm for Business, Paytm mall, Paytm Money, and a few more were still available on the platform.
Update: And we’re back! 🥳
— Paytm (@Paytm) September 18, 2020
What did Paytm comment?
Commenting on the matter Paytm issued an official statement and said Google suspended the app as it violated Play Store policies on gambling. “We continue to work with Google to restore the app. We assure all our users that their balances and linked accounts are 100 per cent safe. Our services are fully functional on all existing apps and you can continue enjoying Paytm like before,” the company said.
Explained: Paytm goes from Play Store, how are you affected?
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What is Google’s Play Store policy on gambling?
Google prohibits online casinos and other unregulated gambling apps on its play store. Even fantasy sports platforms like Dream 11 are kept out. The tech giant also reveals that an app that leads consumers to an external site that allows them to participate in paid tournaments to real money clearly violates Play Store policies.
In a blog post posted earlier on Friday, Google’s Suzanne Frey, Vice President, Product, Android Security and Privacy explains, “We don’t allow online casinos or support any unregulated gambling apps that facilitate sports betting. This includes if an app leads consumers to an external website that allows them to participate in paid tournaments to win real money or cash prizes, it is a violation of our policies.”
Frey notes, “We have these policies to protect users from potential harm. When an app violates these policies, we notify the developer of the violation and remove the app from Google Play until the developer brings the app into compliance.”
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“In the case where there are repeated policy violations, we may take more serious action which may include terminating Google Play Developer accounts. Our policies are applied and enforced on all developers consistently,” Frey further states.
Paytm Removed By Google
Commenting on the matter, Akash Karmakar of Panag and Babu Law Offices, who represents various tech and app companies said, “While PayTM did not directly engage in, or promote sports betting or gambling, it did have links to third-party sites which did. The ease of using PayTM on these third-party apps may have been viewed by Google as the element which makes PayTM as supporting these sites. Google appears to have taken an ethical stand against apps that promote or even advertise unregulated gambling apps that facilitate sports betting. Since many other apps are also promoting betting and gambling websites through ads and pop-ups, if Google applies the same standard, I would expect more apps will get taken off the Play Store.”