Global tech giants' unfair policy hurting Indian gaming sector: Gaming industry to Parliamentary panel

The gaming industry body along with domestic tech firms like Makemytrip, Zomato, Oyo deposed before a Parliamentary Panel about the unfair policies of tech giants.

The skill-gaming industry has sought the intervention of the government to rein in the arbitrary policies of the monopoly global tech-giants. Sources said that the gaming industry body along with domestic tech firms like Makemytrip, Zomato, Oyo and others deposed before a Parliamentary Panel on July 21 about the unfair policies of tech giants.

The gaming industry reportedly brought out the illegal and biased policies of Google that prohibit the Indian skill-games platforms to list on its platform, while allowing a free hand to foreign gaming apps.

Also Read—Google fires software engineer who claimed its AI chatbot is sentient

The Parliamentary Standing Committee, led by BJP leader and former Union Minister Jayant Sinha, had been examining the market dominance behaviour of global tech giants.

Sources said that the gaming industry has submitted to the panel that while Google does not allow Indian online skill games on its Google Play Store, it promotes its own gaming service called 'Play Pass' and other Chinese and western games.

It was pointed out where users directly download online gaming apps, Google tries to dissuade the app's install by showing warning messages. It also unfairly prevents other Android app stores from advertising on its platform and limits consumer choice.

The tech giants Google and Apple have been the subject of several adverse court orders with respect to their monopolistic practices. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has found Google's billing of apps to be "unfair and discriminatory".

In France, Google was fined two million Euros by the Paris Commercial Court over abusive practices toward developers on its play store. The US Department of Justice is slated to file an antitrust lawsuit against Google over its monopoly in the online advertising market.

Also Read—Google to allow app developers to use rival payment systems, to cut fees

In India, a CCI probe in 2021 had found that Google was enforcing one-sided contracts on devices and app-makers so that its own apps and products maintain primacy in consumer usage and come pre-installed on devices through its Mobile Application Distribution Agreement (MADA).

In the US, 36 states have filed a suit against Google in relation to Google's abuse of its monopoly over the distribution of apps for Android devices, including by blocking competition through contractual and technical barriers.