France has told internet service providers to block access to the prediction market platform Polymarket, calling it an unauthorized gambling site instead of a financial trading platform. This decision comes after earlier restrictions did not stop French users from reaching the site. The gambling watchdog of the nation cited that the homepage provides illegal gambling options through live prediction markets and betting odds in real time.
Source: france24.com
The French gambling watchdog, the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), issued the directive on July 16. The authority claimed that Polymarket had over 205,000 unique visitors to France in the month of June despite financial transaction limitations having been in effect since late 2024.
The ANJ claimed that it was possible for the users to access the website through virtual private network connections (VPNs). The regulator argued this kept promoting gambling services not allowed in France.
The decision also comes after an investigation into a weather prediction market, following a report from France’s national weather agency that a temperature sensor may have been tampered with. French authorities started a cybercrime investigation into the issue earlier this year.
France has slowly become stricter about prediction markets. In February 2026, the regulator officially labelled them as illegal gambling products, citing worries about gambling risks and the lack of consumer protections like betting limits and self-exclusion tools.
THE BLOCK: France’s gambling regulator has ordered internet service providers to block Polymarket, citing illegal gambling and manipulation risks, ahead of the world cup final Sunday.
The site drew more than 578,000 French visits in June despite a trading ban in place since… pic.twitter.com/Hv6KNLzzGa
— The Block (@TheBlockCo) July 19, 2026
France is now one of many places that have restricted Polymarket. Several countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America have taken similar steps in the past two years.
Polymarket has not yet responded to the latest order, but France’s move shows the growing regulatory attention on blockchain-based prediction market platforms worldwide.
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