The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has initiated an investigation into Google following allegations by gaming platform Winzo of anti-competitive behavior. The complaint accuses Google of misusing its dominant position to unfairly favor certain gaming categories, creating an uneven playing field for other companies in the industry.
Reports indicate that the CCI’s Director General (DG) has been tasked with submitting a comprehensive report on the matter within 60 days.
Saumya Singh Rathore, co-founder of Winzo, criticized Google’s policies, stating, “The Google Play Store policy, which exclusively includes Fantasy and Rummy games, alongside an Ads Policy allowing only these categories to advertise, skews market dynamics. This selective approach benefits specific games, driven by monopolistic practices.”
Rathore further pointed out the dominance of a few players in the market, with one entity reportedly controlling 95% of the fantasy gaming space and three companies accounting for 90% of the rummy segment. These policies, she argued, drastically reduced marketing costs for these games, amplifying their profit margins disproportionately.
This isn’t Winzo’s first legal action against Google. In 2022, the company filed a lawsuit to prevent Google from listing real-money fantasy sports and rummy games on its platform.
Launched in 2018, Winzo boasts a portfolio of over 100 games spanning strategy, sports, casual, arcade, and board categories. The platform primarily earns through service fees on real-money games and the sale of digital vouchers.
Winzo’s financial trajectory has been impressive, with operational revenues surging to ₹674 crore in FY23 from ₹234 crore in FY22. The company also achieved its first profit of ₹126 crore in FY23.
In a bid to bolster India’s gaming ecosystem, Winzo recently collaborated with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). Through this partnership, the company aims to support over 2,000 startups, innovators, and students via mentorship, workshops, and hackathons.
This case underscores the ongoing scrutiny of tech giants as regulators work to ensure fair competition in India’s dynamic digital economy.