France Blocks Access to Online Prediction Platform Polymarket

France has blocked access to the online prediction platform Polymarket within its territory, citing a continued ban on unauthorized betting. The national gaming authority, ANJ, stated that Polymarket’s continued availability constituted advertising for an unauthorized betting site.

What Happened

France has initiated measures to block access to the online prediction market Polymarket, according to AFP. This action by the national gaming authority (ANJ) expands upon an existing November 2024 ban that prohibited financial transactions to the site. The ANJ explicitly stated that Polymarket’s webpage would be blocked on French territory, as reported by DAWN.com.

The regulator indicated that the site’s ongoing availability, which updates betting odds in real-time on various events, effectively functioned as advertising for an unauthorized betting platform. The ANJ clarified that advertising in favor of an unauthorized betting or gambling site constitutes a criminal offense under French law, with potential fines reaching 100,000 euros ($114,000), as stated by DAWN.com.

Key Details

• The ANJ imposed a ban on financial transactions to Polymarket in November 2024, according to DAWN.com.
• Despite the transaction ban, visits from French internet addresses to Polymarket’s site reportedly increased, reaching 578,751 last month, as per DAWN.com.
• France permits online sports betting, according to the ANJ.
• France is among several European nations, including Germany, Italy, and Spain, that restrict or block access to online prediction markets, according to the ANJ.

Why It Matters

This action by the ANJ underscores regulatory efforts to enforce national betting and gambling laws, particularly concerning online platforms operating without authorization. The blocking of Polymarket highlights a broader European trend, as noted by the ANJ, where several countries restrict or block access to such markets. The regulator’s reasoning, based on Polymarket’s continued availability constituting advertising for an unauthorized service, establishes a precedent for how online content may be interpreted and regulated within French jurisdiction.

What’s Next

No explicit forward-looking information beyond the immediate blocking of the site was provided in the source material. Therefore, this section is omitted.

Originally reported by DAWN.com·Published 17 Jul 2026, 18:13