France is stepping up its efforts to keep Polymarket out of reach for local users. The country’s gambling regulator, the Autorité Nationale Des Jeux, said this week that it has instructed internet service providers to block access to the prediction market platform.
The move comes after an earlier measure introduced in November 2024, when the regulator placed a geoblock on financial transactions from French residents on the site. Even with that restriction in place, the agency said Polymarket continued to attract traffic from France, with users finding ways around the block. According to the regulator, the platform recorded 578,751 visits from French residents in June, including 205,057 unique visits.
Regulator treats Polymarket as an illegal gambling site
The ANJ said it is taking a tougher line because it considers Polymarket an illegal gambling site. Under the regulator’s latest action, anyone found advertising an unauthorized betting or gambling service could face fines of up to 100,000 euros, or about $114,000.
France is not the only country moving against prediction markets. In neighboring Spain, authorities have also ordered access to Polymarket and Kalshi to be blocked while they examine whether the services violate gambling laws. In the United States, Minnesota has passed a bill banning prediction markets from operating in the state, while lawsuits against Polymarket and Kalshi are also emerging in other states.
Source: engadget.com
