Several online sports betting companies saw their stock values climb Thursday, including DraftKings (NASDAQ: DKNG) and Penn National Gaming, afte.

© Provided by The Motley Fool DraftKings Prepares to Launch Its Sportsbook & Casino App on Google Play

1. Dec 08, 2020 DraftKings Prepares to Launch Its Sportsbook & Casino App on Google Play DraftKings Could Have a 31% Upside, New Analyst Coverage Says DraftKings Poised to Shoot 30%-Plus Higher, Says Analyst.
2. Several online sports betting companies saw their stock values climb Thursday, including DraftKings (NASDAQ: DKNG) and Penn National Gaming, afte.

Several online sports betting companies saw their stock values climb Thursday, including DraftKings (NASDAQ: DKNG) and Penn National Gaming, after Reuters discovered and revealed changes made to Google's (NASDAQ: GOOG) policies back on Jan. 20. Those policy changes will enable companies to place gambling apps, including sports betting apps, on the Google Play store available to U.S. users.

DraftKings is preparing to pounce on the opportunity, according to a report by 9to5Google. Up until this point, DraftKings' Sportsbook & Casino app has not been available through Google Play, though it has been through Apple's App Store, among other channels. However, on March 1, Google says companies in 'Australia, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the United States' can also list betting apps on Google Play.

DraftKings says it will have its app listed and available on Google Play immediately after the rule change is implemented. Currently, only the Google Play stores in Ireland, France, the United Kingdom, and Brazil allow gambling apps to be listed. DraftKings' app, like all similar apps that will appear on the U.S. Play store, will need to be free in order to qualify, and will be listed as Adults Only, the most restrictive of the five ratings under which Google classifies apps.

DraftKings has continued to expand the availability of its sports betting services as legalization continues its march across the country. The company added its 12th state this week with its launch in Virginia. The company is also drawing strongly bullish ratings from some analysts who believe it still has plenty of upside as more states approve its style of gambling.

Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Rhian Hunt has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Alphabet (C shares) and Apple. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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It will be “game on” soon at the Google Play Store for Pennsylvania sportsbook apps and online casinos.

Google Play announced an upcoming policy change that will allow real-money gambling apps that include online casinos, lotteries, sports betting and daily fantasy sports.

As of now, real-money gambling apps are only available in Brazilian, Irish, French and British Google Play Stores. The new policy goes into effect on March 1, and gambling apps will be available in the United States and 14 additional countries.

Google Play in for PA iGaming

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Thirteen online sportsbooks and 12 online casinos are available in Pennsylvania. Currently, users who are 21+ and physically located in PA can download and play via:

• iOS
• Desktop
• Android, whose users access the apps via direct download from the operator’s website

This major change helps operators reach a wider audience and also makes the process more streamlined for users.

DraftKings confirmed the change to Online Poker Report in a statement:

“As sports betting and iGaming continues to expand across the United States, we are excited that DraftKings Sportsbook and Casino apps will soon be available to download for Android users via Google Play.”

Strict requirement for gambling apps

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To get a place in the Google Play store, a developer must have a valid gambling license for each country or state where the app is offered. Also, developers in the 15 countries new to the Google Play store have a list of conditions to meet, and a number of them deal with responsible gaming.

Google Play Music

Eligible apps must meet the following requirements:

• Developer must successfully complete the application process in order to distribute the app on Google Play.
• App must comply with all applicable laws and industry standards for each country.
• Developer must have a valid gambling license for each country or state/territory.
• Developer must not offer a type of gambling product that exceeds the scope of its gambling license.
• App must prevent underage users from using it.
• App must prevent access and use from countries, states/territories or geographic areas not covered by the developer-provided gambling license.
• The app must NOT be purchasable as a paid app on Google Play, nor use Google Play In-app Billing.
• App must be free to download and install from the store.
• App must be rated AO (Adult Only) or IARC equivalent.
• App and its listing must clearly display information about responsible gambling.

Lead image credit: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez