Google, the world’s web giant, confirmed its intention to permit selling gambling applications for Android devices on the Google Play store. It will put an end to its own ban that have become effective since 2013.

Emails, confirming these changes, were sent to British, Irish and French gambling companies. Previously, they could distribute their applications only via their own websites or specialized app stores, for instance, Betcade closed at the beginning of this year.

Andrew Daniels, the head of UK-based Degree 53, also received such a message. According to him, requests for gambling application sales on the Google Play store will be accepted since August 2017.

Initially,  they will be available only in France, Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland. Other countries are going to join later.

To obtain a permission, developers should provide application documents, including licenses for operations in regions where they want to promote their own products. The procedure will be more likely conducted as well as it has been with Apple.

However, the ban of 2013 is still included into the terms of use of the Google Play store. A lot of changes will be required until the new policy brings quality results. The first and most significant step has been already done, so everything else is a matter of time.

Given that Android is currently owning 50% of the smartphone market volume, gambling companies will obviously have an opportunity to expand its operations in this potentially profitable segment of the online gaming market.