BRUSSELS, July 23 — The European Commission has fined Google a total of €890 million for violating the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), the largest penalty imposed on a single company under the landmark regulation since it took effect.
The Commission said Google breached the DMA in two ways. First, the company gave preferential treatment to its own services, including shopping, hotel, transport and sports results, in Google Search rankings. Second, it prevented app developers using Google Play from informing customers about cheaper offers available outside the app store, a practice known as anti-steering.
The fine was split into two penalties: €460 million for self-preferencing in search results and €430 million for the Play Store restrictions. The Commission also ordered Google to end both practices within 60 days or face additional daily penalties of up to 5 percent of its average daily worldwide turnover.
“Businesses in the EU 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,” a Commission spokesperson said during Thursday’s midday press briefing.
Google’s parent company, Alphabet, was designated as a “gatekeeper” under the DMA in September 2023 for services including Google Search and Google Play. The designation subjects large digital platforms to stricter rules aimed at preventing anti-competitive behavior.
The Commission has previously fined Apple €500 million and Meta €200 million under the DMA in 2025. Google is now the third major technology firm to face penalties under the regulation.
Google has previously challenged EU antitrust decisions in court. In a separate case, the Court of Justice of the European Union dismissed an appeal by Google earlier this month and upheld a reduced €4.125 billion fine related to Android restrictions imposed in 2018.
The latest fines underscore Brussels’ determination to enforce the DMA against the largest U.S. technology companies, even as Washington has criticized some EU digital regulations as discriminatory.