Google recently announced that it will allow betting apps on the Google Play Store in 15 more countries on March 1, 2021, including the U.S. market.
The update includes real money games and fantasy sports apps, such as online casinos, lotteries and sports betting. Developers will also be able to advertise on the Play Store.
A few years ago, Google opened the Play Store for online operators in the UK, Ireland, France and Brazil. Since then, the expectation was that this decision could extend to other countries at some point.
Countries covered by the new Google decision
In March, operators in the following countries will be allowed to publish their applications: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Romania, Spain, Sweden and the United States.
In addition, online sports betting and games are growing rapidly in the United States and operators will benefit from distributing their Android applications with Google. Without a doubt, this is excellent news for the segment.
Until now, customers have only had access to Android applications directly from their operator’s website, but they would also need to update them manually, in addition to bypassing the phone’s security settings.
It was also more difficult to advertise these apps and reach relevant demographic data. Now, Google will help overcome this challenge and bookmakers will still have a chance to reach a wider audience more effectively.
However, you have to wait and see if Google will establish some rules on application design and usability, similar to the Design Guidelines imposed by Apple on such software.
Either way, the ideal is for companies in the betting and fantasy sports industry to develop their applications according to the latest design trends and the maximum of native functionality to create a pleasant experience for their customers.
