If you’re a fan of online casinos and sportsbooks, you may have realized your favorite online gambling venues are not on Google’s Play Store. Not even world-famous betting brands appear on Android’s native app marketplace. Understanding why this happens is important, but it’s also worth knowing that most online casinos do have Android apps… you just need to know how to find them.
Here’s the simple explanation: Google has a strict policy that prevents app developers from allowing Android users to play games for real money. So, when you see casinos apps on the Play Store, they are not real money games. Alternatively, some online lotteries have Android applications, but will only allow you to check if you have won or not.
On Google, the only gambling apps accepted onto the Play Store are those from the UK, France, and Ireland. Even then, these apps are limited in what they can do. For example, they cannot be used to make bets. This is how Google summarizes its stance on betting apps:
“For all other locations, we don’t allow content or services that facilitate online gambling, including, but not limited to, online casinos, sports betting and lotteries, and games of skill that offer prizes of cash or other value.”
However, if you search “Casino” in the Play Store, numerous results will surface. How did these apps get onto the store?
Money
No, I don’t mean they pay to get on the Google Play Store. Instead, casino apps that are on the store are allowed only because they don’t support real wagers. These are so-called social casinos that simulate gambling and don’t offer real prize money. Instead, they allow Android users to play casino games in a social setting without betting money.
It is worth noting that while these apps don’t allow wagers, they do support in-app purchases. Players can buy skins and different perks as they would on other apps but importantly, they cannot bet and cannot win money. This is somewhat counter-intuitive for a casino app, but developers of these apps promote them more as games than betting services.
And that’s important because they would not be allowed onto the Google Play Store otherwise.
Playing True Casino Apps on Android
So, what do you do if you have an Android phone and want to use online casino apps, sportsbooks, or online lotteries? You may have considered buying an iPhone and using iOS, but the bad news is Apple has similar rules to Google regarding app betting. You’re certainly not alone in your problem because Android is used by billions of people.
Luckily, there are a couple of workarounds and don’t worry, both are completely legal. Before getting to them, it’s important to know many gambling services do have official Android apps, even if they don’t appear on the Google Play Store. Accessing them is the trick:
Use your mobile browser – Android smartphones have web browsers and just like on PC you can access online casinos and sportsbooks using the browser. Most top online gambling houses will have websites that are optimized for mobile browsing, meaning you should get a good experience. This method also allows you to access all games and services available at the venue.
Get an official mobile app from somewhere else – As mentioned, most online casinos have an official app… they just won’t be on the Google Play Store. While the Play Store is the official app marketplace for Android, it is not the only one. Numerous reputable third-party app stores exist, and these services may not be as restrictive as Google in terms of gambling apps. Online casinos also provide direct downloads of their apps from their website, allowing you to sideload the app onto Android and bypass any stores.
