NEW DELHI: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Thursday launched an investigation into Google after online gaming firm WinZo accused the US tech giant of anti-competitive practices.
In the order, the regulator asked its director-general to wrap up the probe and submit a report in 60 days.
WinZo, an online gaming platform, has alleged that Google’s policies for hosting apps on the Play Store are unfair. It says Google’s Developer Distribution Agreement and Developer Program Policies are one-sided, adding that Google restricts hosting of gaming applications that offer Real Money Games (RMP) in India. As a result, customers are forced to download the WinZo app from its website.
Additionally, when users download the app on Android devices, misleading warnings are displayed, which WinZo claims tarnish its reputation.
The CCI has taken notice of these allegations and ordered an investigation into Google’s business practices, citing concerns over discriminatory conduct. The regulator noted that exclusion from the Play Store is tantamount to denial of market access. As for the disclaimer that pops up while downloading the app, the CCI said the warning is peculiar to the Google-operated Android OS and is completely illegal.