Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin is alerting consumers to important information regarding a $700 million multistate settlement with Google, secured by Griffin and a coalition of 52 other attorneys general, addressing Google’s anticompetitive practices in the Google Play Store.
Preliminary approval of the settlement was granted on November 20, 2025, initiating the court’s notice and approval process. A final approval hearing is scheduled for April 30, 2026. If approved, the majority of the settlement funds will be distributed to consumers who made purchases on the Google Play Store between August 2016 and September 2023 and were harmed by Google’s conduct.
Eligible consumers are expected to receive payments ranging from $2 to $20,034, with an average payment of $4.41. In addition to monetary relief, Google has agreed to stop anticompetitive practices that harmed both consumers and app developers.
“The $700 million settlement with Google is a step in the right direction toward accountability and fairness,” Griffin said. “Google’s anticompetitive practices harmed consumers and developers. These actions were deceptive and unconscionable, and I will continue fighting to protect Arkansas families and ensure that companies play by the rules.”
According to the settlement, Google used exclusionary agreements with phone manufacturers and carriers to control app distribution on Android devices through its Play Store. These agreements allowed Google to charge a 30 percent fee on app sales and in-app purchases—significantly higher than competing payment systems—raising prices and limiting consumer choice.
Beginning December 2, 2025, affected consumers started receiving notices about the distribution process. In most cases, no claim form is required, and payments will be issued automatically.
Once the court grants final approval, consumers will receive a notification by email from PayPal or text message from Venmo at the email address or mobile number associated with their Google Play account. If that contact information is linked to an existing PayPal or Venmo account, payment will be sent directly. Consumers without matching accounts will be able to create one or redirect payment to another PayPal or Venmo account.
A supplemental claims process will be available for consumers who do not have PayPal or Venmo accounts, no longer have access to their Google Play account contact information, or believe they should have received a payment but did not. Consumers may sign up for email notifications when the supplemental process begins by visiting the settlement website.
Attorney General Griffin also encouraged consumers to note key upcoming deadlines:
February 19, 2026: Deadline to opt out of the settlement or file an objection
April 30, 2026: Court hearing to determine final settlement approval
The settlement was secured by attorneys general from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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