Google has proposed sweeping changes to its Play Store and advertising policies in India, aiming to allow more real-money gaming apps onto its platforms in a bid to settle an ongoing antitrust case with a local online gaming platform WinZO. In January last year, Google announced it would expand support for real-money gaming apps on the Play Store in India, Brazil, and Mexico. However, the company paused that rollout in June 2024 and stated it would continue to allow apps already included in the 2022 India p ...

Antitrust Enforcement - The Justice Department dismissed two senior antitrust enforcers [1] - Internal disagreements arose regarding the discretion of the antitrust division in policing mergers [1]

Antitrust & Acquisition - US Justice Department 撤销了对 American Express Global Business Travel Group 收购竞争对手 CWT 的反垄断诉讼 [1] - 该案件原定于 9 月进行审判 [1]

Spain’s competition watchdog is expanding its investigation into Apple’s App Store.By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions .Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.The Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC) announced Tuesday (Ju ...

Core Viewpoint - Google is facing significant legal challenges that are impacting its operating expenses and overall financial performance, despite showing strong earnings in comparison to competitors like Meta Platforms [2][12]. Financial Performance - In the second quarter, Google's total operating expenses rose by 20% to $26.1 billion, primarily due to legal costs, including a $1.4 billion charge related to a settlement [2]. - Operating margin remained flat year-on-year at 40.1%, partially affected by legal charges [2]. - Google's operating expenses for 2022 were approximately $208 billion, increasing to $223 billion in 2023 and projected to rise to $237.6 billion in 2024, indicating that legal payouts constitute about 1% or less of its yearly operating costs [14]. Legal Challenges - Google is currently embroiled in numerous lawsuits globally, including a significant antitrust ruling in April 2025 where it was found to hold an illegal monopoly in online advertising markets [4]. - The company has faced a total of approximately $3 billion in fines from the European Commission since 2017, with ongoing legal proceedings that could lead to further financial liabilities [3][18]. - In Russia, Google is involved in disputes with 17 TV networks over YouTube channel removals, facing fines totaling around 46 billion rubles (approximately $580 million) [8][9]. Market Position - Despite the legal challenges, Google has underperformed compared to Meta, with a year-to-date increase of under 2% versus Meta's 22% [16]. - Google trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 20.6, which is lower than Meta's 27.9, suggesting that Google shares may be undervalued relative to its legal risks [16].

The Justice Department fired two of its most senior antitrust enforcers after internal disagreements over how much discretion their division should have to police mergers https://t.co/lk9pnCiaKp ...

Antitrust Regulation - UK's antitrust watchdog earmarked Apple and Google's Android for new rules [1] - The new rules target their power in mobile ecosystems [1]

Regulatory Actions - The Trump administration is considering revoking antitrust immunity for Delta and Aeromexico's pricing agreement [1] - This action is contingent on Mexico addressing anticompetitive behavior [1]

ServiceNow's acquisition of Moveworks is reportedly being reviewed over antitrust concerns | TechCrunch https://t.co/c4h4Y2nvPi ...

Group 1 - ServiceNow is acquiring Moveworks for $2.85 billion, with expectations for the deal to close in the second half of 2025 [2] - The acquisition is currently under antitrust review by the U.S. Justice Department, which began in June [1] - Both companies have received a "second request" for additional information required to proceed with the acquisition [1]