Europe fines Google $1 billion for favoring its own apps over rivals

The European Union has levied a significant fine of €890 million, approximately $1 billion, against Google for violating its new Digital Markets Act (DMA). The European Commission announced the two separate penalties on Thursday, July 23, 2026, marking the first time Google has been sanctioned under this landmark legislation designed to ensure fair competition among large tech companies.

The fines address two key areas of concern: €460 million for Google's practice of favoring its own services, such as shopping, hotels, and travel results, in its search rankings over those of third-party competitors. An additional €430 million fine was imposed for "anti-steering" tactics on the Google Play app store, which prevented app developers from freely directing users to alternative, potentially cheaper, purchasing options outside of Google Play.

Google has 60 days to implement the necessary changes to comply with the DMA or face further daily penalty payments, which could amount to as much as 5% of its global turnover. While Google may appeal the decision, the European Commission acknowledged that the company has already initiated testing and made substantial progress toward compliance with the new regulations.