Along with Paytm app, Paytm First Games has been removed from the Google Play Store due to the accusation of violating gambling policies. Google said in a recent report that the company already kept in touch with development teams from both Paytm and Paytm First Games to work on the aforementioned issue a few days ago. The tech giant only restored the payment app Paytm on September 18th.
Suzanne Frey, VP of Product, Security and Privacy at Google Android also wrote down a blog post to shed light on the current situation.
"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."
In fact, Google Play Store does not allow an app to redirect users to another. With Paytm and Paytm First Games being popularly known as a digital wallet and a gaming platform full of betting and real-money activities, it comes as no surprise why they get into trouble.
"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."
As the Indian Premier League 2020 has been ready to set off after being delayed for months, this is no doubt a huge attraction for both cricket fans and gamblers, thus resulting in illegal betting activities across not only India but also the globe. While sports betting is not something legitimate in the country, Paytm First Games or any other similar products like Dream11 should stay away from supporting such illegal practices rather than labeling themselves as “strategic games”.
As per a report from Bloomberg Quint, Paytm was caught running an IPL-related promotion that enables users to redeem a cashback if they collect enough cricket cards, which can be earned through spending their money.
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