Google $GOOGL hit with €890M EU DMA fine over search and app rules

€890 million is the size of the European Commission penalty against Google $GOOGL after two Digital Markets Act non-compliance decisions on 23 July 2026. The Commission notice breaks the total into a €460 million fine tied to Google Search and a €430 million fine tied to Google Play app distribution rules.

The search decision found that Google treated its own vertical services more favorably than rival services in areas such as shopping, hotels and travel. The app-distribution decision found that Google restricted app developers from steering users to alternative offers outside Google Play. Under the DMA, Google is designated as a gatekeeper, which raises the compliance stakes beyond a one-off competition case.

The market issue is not only the €890 million cash cost. The Commission ordered Google to bring its conduct into compliance and said further non-compliance can trigger periodic penalty payments. For Alphabet investors, that converts a regulatory headline into a continuing operating constraint on search display, app-store economics and European product design.

The case also arrives while large technology groups are already spending heavily on AI infrastructure. Alphabet’s earnings feed on 22 July showed investors focused on capital spending and cloud growth; the 23 July DMA decision adds a second pressure point from European regulation. The next items to watch are Google’s appeal path, any product changes in EU search results, and whether developers receive broader off-platform steering rights.

Not investment advice. Verify all figures with primary sources before acting.