France has ordered internet providers to block access to Polymarket, in one of the toughest moves yet by a major European country against online prediction markets it classifies as illegal gambling.
The decision, taken by France’s gambling regulator, the Autorite Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), treats the US-based platform not as a financial trading venue but as an unlicensed betting site that poses addiction and consumer-protection risks.
Regulator moves after users dodge financial curbs
The ANJ’s blocking order was issued on 16 July after earlier efforts to curb French use of Polymarket failed.
Although financial transactions involving French residents have been banned on the platform since November 2024, the regulator said a large number of users had simply turned to virtual private networks (VPNs) to get round the restrictions.
According to data from analytics firm Similarweb cited by the ANJ, Polymarket recorded 578,751 visits from 205,057 unique users in France in June alone.
The ban now obliges French internet service providers to prevent access to the site. Failure to comply can lead to penalties of up to €100,000 (£84,000; $114,380), the regulator warned.
Polymarket did not immediately respond to a request for comment carried by CoinDesk, which first reported the move.
Homepage accused of promoting illegal betting
Even when French payments were blocked, Polymarket’s homepage remained visible in France, allowing users to follow live markets and constantly updating odds on subjects ranging from politics to weather.
The ANJ argued that this real-time display effectively amounted to marketing an unlicensed gambling offer inside France.
“The site’s homepage, which dynamically displays real-time odds for various events open to betting, thus serves as a major channel for disseminating and promoting Polymarket’s offerings, even though the site’s operations are not authorized in France,” the regulator wrote in its decision.
The authority said the platform’s mechanics were akin to gambling products, but without the responsible-gaming protections required under French law, such as stake limits and self-exclusion options.
Tampered weather sensor sparks criminal probe
The clampdown also follows a complaint from the national weather agency, Meteo-France, over an incident involving a manipulated temperature sensor linked to bets on Polymarket.
The allegation – that a sensor used for official readings had been interfered with in order to influence the outcome of weather-based markets – triggered an investigation by the Paris prosecutor’s specialised cybercrime unit, opened on 4 May.
The ANJ cited that case in its decision as an illustration of the real-world risks that can arise when large sums of money are wagered on external events which rely on trusted data sources.
High‐stakes trader and rising concerns
The regulator additionally pointed to the activities of a French trader known online as “Fredi9999”, who in 2024 reportedly placed multi-million-dollar positions on US election markets, moving odds significantly.
Officials say such high-stakes, high-volatility trading underlines their concern that prediction platforms can be used in ways comparable to high-intensity gambling, particularly when there are no built-in safeguards on how much can be wagered or lost.
France hardened its stance in February 2026, when the ANJ formally reclassified online prediction markets as illegal gambling services if they are offered without a French licence and without standard consumer protections.
Part of a widening global crackdown
The move against Polymarket comes as France steps up broader action against unlicensed betting and casino sites. Last year alone, authorities blocked access to 1,290 gambling-related web addresses.
Polymarket, which allows users to buy and sell shares in the outcome of future events, has now been restricted in more than 30 jurisdictions worldwide.
Switzerland moved against the site in November 2024, followed by Poland, Singapore and Belgium in early 2025. Portugal imposed a block in January 2026, and Spain ordered a temporary suspension in May while it conducts its own investigation.
Regulators in Brazil, Argentina, India and Indonesia have also taken measures, as have several EU member states including Italy, Germany, Romania, Hungary and Ukraine.
The ANJ says its latest step is intended to close remaining loopholes and ensure that services which resemble gambling in their design and risks are subject to France’s strict regulatory regime – regardless of how they present themselves to users.
