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EU fines Google 890 million euros in first DMA penalty over Search and Play practices

EU fines Google 890 million euros in first DMA penalty over Search and Play practices

Brussels said Google favored its own services in search and restricted app developers from steering users to outside offers, while ordering changes within 60 days and reviewing proposed updates tied to search and AI features.

Fact Check
The official EU Digital Markets Act press release dated 23 July 2026 confirms every element of the claim: the €890 million total fine, the self-preferencing breach in Google Search, and the anti-steering breach on Google Play. CNBC independently corroborates that this is Google's first DMA fine (approximately $1 billion). The only minor nuance is the headline framing of practices ('shopping and hotel services' per CNBC vs the fuller list in the official release), which does not contradict the claim. The claim is well-supported by primary and independent sources.
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Summary

The European Commission has fined Google 890 million euros, or about $1.02 billion, in the company’s first penalty under the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, saying the company favored its own services in search results and restricted app developers from directing users to alternative offers outside Google Play. The total penalty is split into a 460 million euro fine over self-preferencing in search and a 430 million euro fine over anti-steering practices on the Play Store. EU officials said Google gave its own shopping, hotel, transport and sports services more prominent placement in search results, including top-page positioning, enhanced visuals and filters that comparable third-party services did not receive. The Commission also said Google prevented app developers from freely informing users about cheaper offers or directing them to purchases through websites and third-party app stores, and found that the company’s steering-related fees and the period during which they were charged exceeded what the DMA allows. Google has 60 days to comply or face periodic penalties of as much as 5% of its total worldwide turnover. European Commission Executive Vice President Teresa Ribera said better products should win on merit rather than ownership of the search engine. The Commission said Google has started testing changes to search results and steering rules, and it is also reviewing the company’s proposals on AI Overviews and AI Mode.

Terms & Concepts
  • Digital Markets Act: A European Union law aimed at limiting anti-competitive conduct by large digital platforms designated as gatekeepers.
  • anti-steering practices: Restrictions that prevent app developers from directing users to alternative payment options or offers outside a platform’s own app store.
  • self-preferencing: A practice in which a platform gives its own products or services more favorable treatment than competing offerings.