Google Fined €890 Million in Its First Digital Markets Act Penalty
Brussels penalised Google for favouring its own search results and restricting Google Play developers, and gave it 60 days to comply.
Key Points:
- Fine Amount: €890 million, the first penalty from Brussels under the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
- Violations: Search self-preferencing and anti-steering rules on Google Play.
- Justification: Breaches of gatekeeper obligations, including promoting its own services over competitors and charging fees that hindered developer ability to direct users outside Google Play.
- Reactions: Google’s president of global affairs, Kent Walker, criticised the ruling as "product degradation driven by a small group of self-serving complainants" but acknowledged changes to search layouts and Play steering terms.
- Timeline: The case dates back to March 2024; Google has 60 days to comply or face periodic penalty payments.
Background:
The DMA was designed to rein in large technology platforms, with penalties capped at 10% of global annual revenue for first breaches and 20% for repeat offenses. Apple and Meta were previously fined under the act in April 2025.
Google’s designation as a gatekeeper covers core services including Search, Android, Chrome, and Google Play.