Paytm Taken Down From Play Store

Bengaluru, Sept 18: Google pulled down payment app PayTM from its app store on Friday for allegedly violating the company's gambling policy.

Google has pulled down Paytm from the Play Store for violating its gambling policies. One of India's most valuable startup, the digital payments app claims to have over 50 million monthly active. New Delhi: Google on Friday restored the Paytm app on its Play store after removing it for a few hours for violating its policy on sports betting activities. The app was back on the Google Play store on Friday evening after the Softbank-backed Paytm removed the ‘cashback’ feature from a recently-launched game on the application. Paytm founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma doubled down in his bid to rally Indian app operators against Google over the U.S. Company’s requirement that apps use the Play Store’s billing. Paytm says will be back 'very soon' after app removed from Google Play Store By Rashi Varshney 18th Sep 2020 Google has pulled down Paytm and its gaming app, Paytm First Games, from the Play.

Suzanne Frey, Vice President, Product, Android Security and Privacy at Google said on a blogpost on Friday said that Google doesn't allow online casinos or support any unregulated gambling apps that facilitate sports betting. She added that this policy includes apps that lead consumers to an external website that allows them to participate in paid tournaments to win real money or cash prizes.

The blogpost doesn't mention Paytm specifically or Paytm games. Google spokesperson confirmed to ET has Paytm was one of the many apps taken down for the violating the gambling policy.

Google said it has these policies to protect users from potential harm, and 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 said.

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Google has taken down the Paytm app from Play Store for violating its policies. India’s most valued startup with over 50 million monthly active users, Paytm is essentially a fintech app that has been trying to integrate e-commerce, gaming, ticketing, etc. to be a super app of sorts.

An official blog post that went live around the time the app was pulled hints at ‘repeated policy violations’ as the reason even though Paytm is not specifically mentioned.

According to Suzanne Frey, Vice President, Product, Android Security and Privacy, Play Store prohibits online casinos and other unregulated gambling apps that facilitate sports betting. Even if the app leads consumers to an external website that allows them to participate in paid tournaments to win real money or cash prizes, it is in violation of Play Store policies.

Paytm Pulled Down From Play Store

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.

It is not yet clear why Paytm didn’t correct course because Google would’ve notified the company in advance about the issue as is the usual practice.

Paytm Taken Down From Play Store Account

While sports betting is not legal in India, fantasy sports is allowed. Fantasy sports involve users selecting players and winning cash or rewards based on their team and players' performance in the real matches. Paytm has been marketing Paytm Cricket League for the last few days announcing its foray into the world of fantasy sports. Indian Premier League (IPL), a marquee international cricket tournament hosted by the Indian cricket board annually, kicks off over the weekend.

Update:

The Paytm app is back in the Play Store, although Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma has called out Google's monopolistic behavior which he calls as detrimental to India's digital ecosystem.