Match Group Sues Google Over Payment Controls

Match Group has announced that it is suing Google, alleging that the company exerts too much control over payments through its Google Play app marketplace.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in California’s Northern District, accuses the company of deploying “anticompetitive tactics” to maintain a monopoly on the Android mobile ecosystem:“Ten years ago, Match Group was Google’s partner. We are now its hostage. Google lured app developers to its platform with assurances that we could offer users a choice over how to pay for the services they want.

“But once it monopolised the market for Android app distribution with Google Play by riding the coattails of the most popular app developers, Google sought to ban alternative in-app payment processing services so it could take a cut of nearly every in-app transaction on Android.”

Match Group’s lawsuit is the latest instance of app developers demanding relief from Google and Apple over the 30 percent standard cut that those tech giants extract from in-app payments. Longstanding tensions around the issue boiled over in 2020 when Epic Games sued Apple for antitrust violations, a case that didn’t result in a clear-cut victor but did force Apple to allow developers to point their users to alternative payment options.

Alternative payment methods has been a significant discussion point this year. Apple has been embroiled in a lengthy battle with Dutch authorities over third-party payments, culminating in nine fines and more than €45 million in fines.