France Orders ISPs to Block Access to Polymarket

France continues to maintain a strong stance on prediction market platforms, with the country’s gambling regulator, the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), ordering Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the country to block access to Polymarket specifically.

France Steps Up Against Polymarket – Orders Ban Across Entire Territory

In a statement released on Friday, the ANJ noted that it has ordered ISPs to limit access from French territory to the website, arguing that it violates gambling laws, which Polymarket denies. The regulator also issued a reminder that advertising the platform’s services is considered a criminal offense that bears a fine of up to $114,000.

“Advertising, by any means whatsoever, in favour of an unauthorised betting or gambling site is a criminal offence,” the ANJ noted. However, the ban’s efficiency is yet to be tested, as the platform has been driving solid traffic from the country, with as many as 578,751 visits from France in June alone.

By issuing a blocking order, France is joining alongside other European jurisdictions that have opted for a similar path to cracking down on the unregulated vertical, with Germany, Italy, and Spain all responding in a similar way recently. 

Prediction markets have been proliferating across Europe, with people cottoning on to the trend. While used to place political bets (or trades, as these platforms prefer to call the activity they support), the recent jump in popularity of Polymarket and rival Kalshi has led to the “gamification of everything.” 

From military action in Venezuela, Iran, and Ukraine, to sports event contracts, to the type of sentence a suspect in a prominent case would receive.

Many of these markets have also led to fears of insider trading, with a teleprompter operator linked to US President Donald Trump reportedly in talks with the Commodity Futures and Trading Commission to settle a case against him “trading” on the president’s speeches.