SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
888 Holdings has become one of the first operators to offer its services on Google Play after the company’s Android app store relaxed a long-standing ban on gambling and betting apps.
As reported earlier in the summer, Google has changed its policy to allow gambling operators to present their real-money games on the Google Play store.
The decision, which reverses a ban that had stood since 2013, allows the apps to be downloaded in the UK and other licensed European markets.
888 Holdings has become one of the first to offer its services, with the group’s 888casino, 777, 888poker, 888sport, Wink Slots and Wink Bingo brands now available on the platform.
The news marks the latest in a string of ‘industry-firsts’ for the operator. In June, the company announced the launch of the premium Elite Lounge live casino, which transports players into a casino setting with the look and feel of a nightclub.
Previously, Google had restricted gambling app downloads, with users having to individually install applications without the aid of Google Play functionalities.
Google’s main issue was that Android, which holds an estimated 50% share of the smartphone market, could not fulfill appropriate age verification on those with access to the apps.
