Key facts
- France's National Gambling Authority (ANJ) has ordered ISPs to block Polymarket.
- The ANJ considers prediction websites illegal gambling and unauthorized gambling sites a criminal offense.
- Polymarket's operations are not authorized in France.
- The regulator cited concerns about "addictive features" and potential outcome manipulation, including allegations of rigged bets.
- A cybercrime investigation in Paris found a lack of identity verification on the platform.
- Polymarket is currently geoblocked in 36 regions worldwide.
France's National Gambling Authority (ANJ) has mandated that the country's internet service providers block access to Polymarket, a popular prediction market platform. The ANJ declared prediction websites to be illegal gambling operations and stated that Polymarket's activities are not authorized within France. Advertising such unauthorized sites is considered a criminal offense, carrying potential fines up to 100,000 euros ($114,000).
Polymarket allows users to trade contracts based on the outcomes of future events. The platform has experienced significant growth in popularity over the last two years, with billions of dollars in trading volume. However, this has attracted regulatory scrutiny regarding whether its contracts constitute illegal gambling or unregistered financial products. France's decision follows similar blocking orders in Singapore, Poland, Portugal, Hungary, Ukraine, Brazil, and Indonesia, bringing Polymarket's geoblocked regions to 36.
The ANJ expressed concerns about Polymarket's "addictive features," which it claims are amplified by the absence of protective mechanisms found in regulated gambling markets. Furthermore, the authority cited potential outcome manipulation, suggesting that some bets, such as those on weather, may have been rigged. This led to a cybercrime investigation by the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office in May 2026, which identified a lack of Know Your Customer (KYC) identity verification processes.
US regulators have also targeted prediction markets. On June 17, Kentucky initiated legal action against five platforms, including Kalshi and Polymarket, alleging they operated unlicensed sports betting platforms. At least 17 other states have since joined similar actions. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has, in turn, sued eight states, asserting federal preemption over federally regulated event contracts.