Google Play expands real money payment options in apps

Google Play, one of the main digital distribution platforms for applications and games, recently announced a significant change in its payments policy.

From 2024 onwards, a greater number of digital products made available by Play Store will be able to accept financial transactions with real money.

This initiative represents a notable expansion in monetization possibilities for developers, in addition to offering more flexibility to platform users.

Illustration with smartphone and Play Store – Image: Gizchina.com/Reproduction

New payment policy

Until then, Google required that applications and games offered on its platform were licensed by government authorities to accept payments in real money.

Now, with the new guideline, this restriction will be eased, allowing even applications without specific government regulation to adopt this contracting method.

Google’s decision to implement such a change stems from previous experiences and feedback from users and developers.

The announcement on Google’s official blog clarifies that the company was based on learnings obtained through pilot projects and the positive reception from both interested parties.

These pilot tests were carried out successfully in countries such as India and Mexico.

Implications and precautions

This expansion of payment options brings with it several implications. Among them, the possibility of apps such as online casino games, sports betting and lotteries adopting the use of real money on their platforms.

This is worrying considering that the famous ‘Tiger Game‘ was banned in Brazil after accusations of financial scams against its users.

However, it is important to note that Google maintains strict guidelines to ensure the security of these transactions. Among these measures, the following stand out:

• The limitation of availability by region imposed on the developers of these applications, who will have to restrict their applications to regions where such activities are legal, ensuring compliance with local laws;

• The minimum age restriction for users who can make payments, aiming to protect the system from possible abuse.

While the new rules are implemented, the Google promises to reinforce the security of these transactions, with initial release scheduled for Brazil, Mexico and India.