Paytm Back On Google Play Store, Hours After Being Pulled Down For Policy Violation

NEW DELHI: Popular digital transactions app Paytm is back on Google Play Store, few hours after it was removed for violating its policy on sports betting activities.

The app was back on the Google Play store on Friday evening after the Softbank-backed Paytm removed the ''cashback'' feature from a recently-launched game on the application.  

"Update: And we're back!," Paytm said in a tweet.

Google had removed Paytm from Play Store on Friday morning. The app was not available on Play Store, however, there was no impact on existing users. "The app was blocked for violation of Play policies - a clarification of our policy was released earlier today ahead of the IPL tournament," Google said.

Google, in a blog post earlier on Friday, had said it does not allow apps facilitating sports betting and will remove such apps from the Play store. These policies are in place to protect users from potential harm, it added.

"We don't allow online casinos or support any unregulated gambling apps that facilitate sports betting. This includes if an app leads consumers to an external website that allows them to participate in paid tournaments to win real money or cash prizes, it is a violation of our policies," the blog post said.

Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma said the company has already removed the scratch cards which offered the cashbacks, complying with Google's concerns.

Stating that Google was not allowing it to acquire new customers by blocking Paytm's promotion, Sharma said India needs support for further growing the startup ecosystem. "(Platforms like Google) are dominating platforms and with power comes responsibility. I believe that they should be responsible for this country's growth and startup ecosystem...India's ecosystem needs support, not stifling of innovation," he told news channel CNBC-TV18.

The company had recently launched the ''Paytm Cricket League'' on its consumer app for users to engage in their passion of cricket and get cashbacks. A Paytm spokesperson said that the cashback feature has been removed and confirmed that the app has been restored on the Play store.

There is often a surge in launches of such apps before major sporting tournaments like the IPL.The latest season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is scheduled to start from September 19 in the United Arab Emirates.