EU fines Google €890M over Search and Play Store violations under Digital Markets Act

The European Commission has fined Google €890 million (approximately $1.03 billion) for violating the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), concluding that the company failed to comply with rules governing both Google Search and Google Play. The decision marks the Commission’s first non-compliance ruling against Google under the DMA.

The penalty consists of €500 million related to Google’s search business and €390 million tied to Google Play. According to the Commission, the company did not implement sufficient changes to meet the obligations imposed on designated “gatekeepers” under the DMA, despite the regulation taking effect last year.

In its search investigation, the Commission found that Google continued to give preferential treatment to its own services in search results. Regulators said competing comparison shopping, travel, hotel, and other specialized search services were not treated fairly, allowing Google’s own offerings to receive more prominent placement and visibility than rival services.

The Commission also concluded that Google failed to comply with DMA requirements covering Google Play. Regulators said app developers were not given enough freedom to direct users to alternative offers outside the Play Store without facing restrictions. The EU argued that developers should be able to communicate promotional offers, alternative payment methods, and other purchasing options directly to users at no additional cost.

Alongside the financial penalty, the Commission ordered Google to bring its practices into compliance with the Digital Markets Act. Failure to do so could expose the company to additional enforcement measures, including periodic penalty payments if violations continue.

Google criticized the decision, arguing that the Commission’s interpretation of the DMA would require changes that could reduce user choice, limit innovation, and create security risks. The company said it disagrees with the findings and plans to appeal the ruling.

The decision represents another escalation in the EU’s enforcement of the Digital Markets Act, which is designed to curb the market power of large technology platforms designated as gatekeepers. Since the regulation came into force, the European Commission has launched multiple investigations into major digital companies over their compliance with the new competition rules.

The fine is one of the largest penalties issued under the Digital Markets Act to date and signals that the Commission is prepared to impose significant financial sanctions where it concludes gatekeepers have failed to meet the regulation’s requirements. Google’s next steps will likely include both implementing further changes to its search and Play Store businesses in Europe and challenging the Commission’s decision through the EU courts.