The availability of gambling software for Android users has been a hot topic in recent years. Before 2021, Google only allowed sportsbook and iGaming apps for players in France, Ireland, and the UK. Brazilians also had access to install lottery and horse racing software, but only if Brazil’s central bank Caixa Econômica Federal was behind such applications.
On March 1st of 2021, all this changed, as Google Play opened its doors to fifteen more countries, including the US and Canada. Meaning, gamblers from these regions can now download the BetMGM casino app and similar branded software from well-established operators.
Note that the move does not mean widespread availability and an opportunity for anyone to have their gambling app featured on Google Play. As reported on Gamble-USA, the Google Play store has now changed its stance on real money gambling apps and started to allow them to be published, in states where iGaming is available. In the US, the Android store has to conform to state regulations. Meaning, sports betting apps are available for players in the territories that have legalized this activity, while only New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware residents can access online casino ones. Nevadans are the only players that can enjoy dedicated Poker software, and the platform’s lottery section is now exclusively dedicated to state-run operators.
DraftKings Became the First Gambling App on Google Play
On March 9th, DraftKings Sportsbook & Casino became the first gambling app featured on Google Play. Following its release, a day later, FanDuel products also appeared in the store, and quickly, more than thirty other pieces of dedicated software joined them.
Before their existence on Google Play became a reality, players could still use many of these apps. However, they required manual installation, which was somewhat of a hassle. Now, they provide easy access but have to comply with a myriad of requirements. These include applicable laws, preventing underage access, displaying information about responsible gambling, and so on.
Illegal Apps Posed as BetMGM Before Store Rollout
BetMGM software made its debut on Google Play on March 17th. Yet, if you were to type in MGM into the platform’s search function before this date, the results shown would include the authentic MGM Resorts concierge software, as well as several impostors pretending to be MGM Resorts International gambling products.
In the long list of pretenders, Live App BetMGM Mobile Online Sports by developer Flashcom stood out, as it appears that offshore sports betting brand MyBookie is the one behind it. The app’s description makes no mention of MyBookie and claims that it is unofficial BetMGM software created to provide MGM information while attempting to get you to download the MyBookie sportsbook application.
Apple Has Allowed iGaming Apps for a Long Time
While gambling operators are only now making their way onto Google’s mobile store, Apple has allowed gambling software for years. In 2019, they updated their App Store guidelines, restricting access to only native iOS gambling apps, giving companies a deadline of September 3rd of that year to comply. Before this rule change, most apps hosted in the store were container software, HTML5 sites in a native wrapper. These are easier and cheaper to develop.
https://ventsmagazine.com/2021/04/07/google-play-now-allowing-igaming-apps/