Internet service providers in France have received an order from the country's gambling authority to block access to Polymarket due to allegations of illegal gambling and potential for market manipulation.

In a press release issued on a Friday, the Autorité nationale des jeux (ANJ), which serves as France's National Gambling Authority, stated that prediction websites are categorized as unlawful gambling. The regulator clarified that Polymarket's activities are not sanctioned within France. Furthermore, the ANJ noted that promoting unapproved gambling websites is a criminal act that can result in penalties as high as 100,000 euros, equivalent to $114,000.

Prediction markets function by enabling users to trade contracts linked to the results of future events, which can range from political elections and sports outcomes to economic indicators and geopolitical events. Over the last two years, Polymarket has experienced a significant rise in popularity, generating billions of dollars in trading volume. This growth has concurrently attracted regulatory examination into whether its event contracts should be classified as illicit gambling or as unregulated financial products.

Regulatory Justification and Investigation

The French gambling regulator first revealed its intentions to block the platform in November 2024, citing its failure to adhere to the nation's gambling legislation. According to the ANJ, Polymarket incorporates "addictive features" that mirror those found in regulated gambling offerings. However, the authority warned these features are "amplified by the absence of the protective mechanisms found in the legal gambling market."

Another major concern cited by the regulator was the potential for the manipulation of outcomes connected to certain event contracts available on Polymarket.

Adding to the platform's legal challenges, the cybercrime division of the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office initiated an investigation into the matter in May 2026. This inquiry uncovered a deficiency in identity verification procedures, such as the absence of Know Your Customer (KYC) checks.

Global and US Regulatory Pressure

France is not alone in its actions against the platform. Access to Polymarket has also been blocked by several other nations, including Singapore, Poland, Portugal, Hungary, Ukraine, Brazil, and Indonesia. At the time of reporting, Polymarket itself indicated that it was geoblocked in a total of 36 regions.

Prediction markets have similarly faced intense scrutiny from regulators within the United States. On June 17, the state of Kentucky initiated a lawsuit against five different prediction market platforms, Polymarket and Kalshi among them, accusing the companies of running unlicensed sports betting operations. Following Kentucky's lead, at least 17 additional states have taken similar legal action.

In response, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has filed lawsuits against eight states. The federal agency contends that these states have encroached upon its exclusive jurisdiction over event contracts that are regulated at the federal level.