On 23 July 2026, the European Commission fined Google €890 million for breaking the Digital Markets Act (DMA), issuing two separate non-compliance decisions on the same day. One decision, worth €460 million, covers how Google ranks its own services in Search. The other, worth €430 million, covers rules Google placed on app developers inside Google Play. It is Google's first penalty under the DMA and the largest DMA fine issued so far.
What the Commission decided
The two decisions cover different parts of Google's business, but both come down to the same complaint: Google used its position to favour itself over the businesses that depend on its platforms. Google has 60 days to end both breaches. If it does not, the Commission can impose periodic penalty payments of up to 5% of Alphabet's average daily worldwide turnover.
€460 million for self-preferencing in Search
The larger fine addresses self-preferencing. The Commission found that Google ranked its own services, including Shopping, hotels, transport, and sports results, more prominently in Google Search than competing results from third parties. In practice, that means a rival comparison site or booking service could sit below Google's own panel even when it was a more relevant answer for the person searching.
Teresa Ribera, the Commission's Executive Vice-President, framed the case around a simple idea: the best products should win on their own merits, not because the company that owns the search engine also owns the service being ranked. According to the European Commission, the decision requires Google to treat rival services fairly against its own.
€430 million for anti-steering on Google Play
The second fine addresses anti-steering. The Commission found that Google restricted app developers from pointing users towards cheaper ways to buy, such as purchase channels outside the Play Store. Under the DMA, developers are allowed to tell their users about offers and prices available elsewhere. The decision says Google's rules got in the way of that.
The 60-day clock
Both decisions require Google to end the breaches within 60 days. Missing the deadline exposes Alphabet to periodic penalty payments of up to 5% of its average daily worldwide turnover, a figure that adds up quickly. The fines themselves are a one-time penalty. The daily payments would be the mechanism to force ongoing compliance.
What this means for Thai marketers
The DMA is European law, and these remedies apply inside the EU. Thailand is not covered by the decision, and nothing here changes how Google ranks results in Thai search overnight.
There is still a practical reason to pay attention. When Google reworks how it displays its own Shopping, hotel, or travel panels to satisfy EU regulators, those changes to ranking logic and layout sometimes ship globally rather than being fenced off to one region. If that happens, the space and prominence given to Google's own panels versus organic third-party results could shift in markets well beyond Europe. That is a possibility to watch, not a certainty, and the Commission has said nothing about Thailand specifically.
For brands that rely on comparison, Shopping, or travel-style results to reach customers, the lesson is the same one that has always held: build visibility you control. Strong organic positioning through SEO in Thailand and a well-structured ecommerce marketing setup are less exposed to a single platform's layout decisions than a strategy that leans entirely on one panel staying where it is.
FAQ
How much was Google fined?
€890 million in total: €460 million for self-preferencing in Search and €430 million for anti-steering on Google Play.
Does this affect Google Search in Thailand?
The decision applies within the EU. Any wider effect would depend on whether Google rolls out ranking or layout changes globally, which is possible but not confirmed.
What happens if Google does not comply?
Google has 60 days to end both breaches. If it misses that deadline, the Commission can charge periodic penalty payments of up to 5% of Alphabet's average daily worldwide turnover.
Staying visible whatever Google changes
A regulatory decision in one region can reach search layouts elsewhere with little warning. If you want your brand to hold its position regardless of how Google arranges its own panels, our team can help you build durable organic and ecommerce visibility. Get in touch to talk through your search strategy.
