Effective yesterday, US Android apps can link to external downloads and transactions, and Google Play Billing isn’t required while the court injunction holds. This change is live in the US only. The rest of your app’s structure remains unchanged.
This single, legally mandated update is the most significant opportunity for margin expansion and competitive advantage that US iGaming has seen in a decade.
For every iGaming CEO and CFO, this is an urgent call to action: Your platform is now free to replace the 15% to 30% Google Play commission with near-zero transaction fees on the open web.
The Immediate Financial Mandate: Reclaim Your Revenue
For years, the Google Play fee has been the single largest unavoidable tax on US Android deposits, crippling the unit economics of every mobile sportsbook and casino. With the injunction now in effect, that cost is instantly transformable.
By moving your US Android payment flow to a compliant, web-based checkout, you can:
- Replace 15% - 30% Fees with Near-Zero Costs: The Bitcoin Lightning Network, powered by Voltage, enables instant payments at a fraction of the cost, with no chargeback risk. This is a direct, immediate transfer of lost revenue back to your P&L.
- Boost Player Value: That reclaimed margin can be used to offer better odds, higher bonuses, or more lucrative loyalty programs, instantly increasing player lifetime value (LTV).
- Own the Payment Data: Bypassing the App Store's walled garden gives you direct access to payment insights, enhancing your ability to manage fraud and build tailored offers.
The Player Experience Crisis: Speed is Now the Decisive Factor
This opportunity comes with a massive risk if done wrong. If your newly unburdened web checkout delivers a weak, slow user experience, you will lose the player before they complete the deposit. High friction on the web kills conversion.
Instant gameplay demands instant money movement. Legacy banking and card payments introduce friction through:
- Slow Settlement: Deposits and, crucially, withdrawals can take hours or days, shattering player trust. Reports highlight, 72% of players say fast withdrawals are a top three reason for loyalty, and delays over 24 hours spike abandonment by 25-30%.
- Chargeback Risk: Traditional rails carry fraud liabilities and costly disputes.
By using the Bitcoin Lightning Network in your external web checkout, Voltage delivers a transforming the payment process into Instant Pay, Instant Play. This infrastructure ensures both player deposits and withdrawal settlements occur in sub-second timeframes with near-zero transaction fees, completely eliminating the hours-to-days of delay and high card/bank fees associated with traditional payment rails. This switch not only maximizes profit margins but also eradicates fraud risk, as Lightning transactions are irreversible with zero chargebacks.
By leveraging Voltage's Payments API, iGaming operators can ensure the web checkout experience is not just compliant, but is faster, cheaper, and more reliable than the legacy in-app system it replaces.
The Strategy: Act Now, Because the Window is Open
This court injunction is a temporary, though legally binding, condition. It is an extraordinary window for innovation and profit. The platforms that deploy a secure, high-speed, low-fee web checkout first will set a new industry standard.
This is the build and capture moment for iGaming.
We urge all Chief Executive Officers, Chief Financial Officers, and Chief Product Officers at iGaming companies to seize this market shift.
Schedule a strategy consultation to outline a rapid deployment plan for integrating Voltage into your new US Android web checkout flow?
