EU Slaps Google With $1 Billion Antitrust Fine Over Search, Play Store Practices

The European Union has imposed a fresh antitrust fine of 890 million euros (about $1 billion) on Google, accusing the technology giant of violating the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA) by favouring its own services on Google Search and the Google Play Store at the expense of competing businesses.

The penalty, announced on Thursday by the European Commission, marks another major escalation in the EU's long-running regulatory battle with Big Tech and reinforces Brussels determination to enforce stricter competition rules across digital markets.

According to the Commission, Google used its dominant position to steer users towards its own products and services while making it more difficult for rivals to compete on equal terms.

The regulator also said Google restricted app developers from freely directing customers to alternative offers outside the Google Play Store, limiting consumer choice and competition.

"The best products should succeed because they're better, not because they're owned by the company running the search engine," said Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice President of the European Commission for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition.

"European consumers have a right to be informed by app developers where they can access the best offers, even when the app store owner does not receive a commission."

European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said the Digital Markets Act was designed to ensure that dominant online platforms compete fairly.

"In the European Union, businesses have the right to compete fairly. Gatekeepers have the obligation to ensure a level playing field, and consumers have the right to choose cheaper alternative offers," he said.

The latest sanction adds to a series of multibillion-dollar antitrust actions the EU has taken against Google over the past decade.

It comes shortly after Google failed in its attempt to overturn a previous $4.5 billion European antitrust penalty linked to the Android mobile operating system, where regulators concluded that the company had abused its market dominance to suppress competition.

The new fine is one of the first major enforcement actions under the Digital Markets Act, legislation that came into force in 2024 to curb anti-competitive practices by the world's largest technology companies, commonly referred to as "gatekeepers."

The law gives European regulators stronger powers to ensure dominant digital platforms do not unfairly disadvantage competitors or limit consumer choice.

Google is not the only company to face sanctions under the legislation.

In 2025, the European Commission fined Apple 500 million euros and Meta 200 million euros for separate breaches of the DMA.

However, Google's cumulative penalties under the legislation now exceed those imposed on any other technology company.

The Commission warned that Google must bring its business practices into compliance with the Digital Markets Act within 60 days.

Failure to do so could trigger additional financial sanctions through recurring penalty payments until the company satisfies regulatory requirements.

Under the Digital Markets Act, companies can be fined up to 10 per cent of their total worldwide annual turnover for violations.

A European Union official said Thursday's fine represents approximately 0.22 per cent of Google's global turnover, well below the maximum permitted under the legislation.

Google criticised the ruling, arguing that the Commission's demands would undermine products widely used by European consumers.

Kent Walker, Google's Head of Global Affairs, said the company was being required to remove features that users rely on daily.

"We're being forced to strip away real-time Search features Europeans love, like instant pricing and direct availability for hotels, flights and restaurants and dismantle safety protections on Google Play," Walker said.

"This isn't fair competition."

The investigation into Google's business practices began in 2024, although the Commission delayed announcing its final decision for several months.

European regulators have increasingly positioned the Digital Markets Act as a central tool for preventing dominant technology firms from using their market power to disadvantage competitors.

The latest action signals that Brussels intends to continue aggressively enforcing the legislation despite growing tensions with the United States over the regulation of American technology companies.

For Google, Thursday's decision represents another significant legal and financial setback in Europe, where the company continues to face mounting regulatory scrutiny over the operation of its search engine, Android ecosystem, digital advertising business and app marketplace.