Oregon – Attorney General Dan Rayfield announced that a group of states has struck a $700 million settlement with Google. This is a big milestone in a long-running legal fight against unfair business practices related to the Google Play Store. The settlement, which was made with attorneys general from 52 states and territories, is meant to give money back to customers and make Google improve the way it runs its app store.
The settlement stems from allegations that Google unfairly restricted competition and controlled prices on the Google Play Store, harming both consumers and app developers. Rayfield said that the case was about the real-world effects of that behavior, saying that having control over online marketplaces can subtly affect how much people spend on everyday things.
“This case was never just about app purchases – it was about what happens when a company quietly controls the choices and prices that millions of people rely on every day,” said Attorney General Rayfield. “That kind of power affects households in real way. This settlement begins to unwind that. This work is about giving families and small businesses a voice, and making sure this doesn’t happen again.”
If the settlement gets final court approval, most of the money will go directly to anyone who bought things through the Google Play Store between August 2016 and September 2023 who were affected by the activities in question. On December 2, 2025, notices describing how the distribution will work started to go out. Most qualified consumers won’t have to do anything to get their payment because most of them will be sent automatically.
Once accepted, people can expect to get an email from PayPal or a text message from Venmo using the contact information linked to their Google Play account. If the phone number or email address is already connected to a PayPal or Venmo account, the payment will go through on its own. If not, those who get the money will be able to either make an account or send the money to another PayPal or Venmo account that already exists.
After automated payments are made, there will be a way to file further claims. This option is for people who don’t want to use PayPal or Venmo, don’t have access to their original Google Play contact information, or think they should have gotten a payment but didn’t. People who are interested can sign up for email alerts on the settlement website when that process starts.
There are still a few important dates coming up. People who want to opt out of the settlement and take legal action on their own must do so by February 19, 2026. You must also file any objections to the settlement by that date. On April 30, 2026, there will be a court hearing to decide whether to provide final approval.
Attorneys general from almost every state, the District of Columbia, and a few U.S. territories joined Rayfield in the settlement.
