EU fines Google $1B for breaching digital antitrust rules

The European Commission has fined Google €890 million, roughly $1 billion, for violating the Digital Markets Act through self-preferencing practices inside Google Search and the Google Play app store. The ruling, issued July 23, 2026, is the third major antitrust penalty Brussels has leveled at Alphabet in under a year. Regulators found Google self-preferencing across shopping, travel, and gaming verticals. A fine that lands in a very crowded queue On July 2, the EU confirmed a €4.125 billion fine tied to Google’s Android operating system, reduced slightly from an earlier €4.34 billion figure. Before that, September 2025 brought a €2.95 billion penalty for favoring Google’s own advertising services over competitors. The Digital Markets Act, which came into force in 2023, targets so-called “gatekeepers” before harm becomes irreversible rather than after. Maximum penalties under the DMA can reach 10% of a company’s global annual turnover. Alphabet shares dipped around 1% in premarket trading following the earlier Android ruling in July. Why this matters beyond Google’s spreadsheet The DMA targets gatekeepers defined as platforms that serve as critical access points between businesses...