France blocks access to the online prediction market Polymarket after regulators say the site continues operating in ways that violate an existing prohibition. France’s main gambling regulator, the ANJ, tells internet service providers to block access to Polymarket’s website for users in France. The action is presented as a way to enforce an earlier ban on financial transactions to the platform, which already applies to payments from French accounts.
According to reporting, the regulator says Polymarket’s continued availability and real-time display of betting odds amount to advertising for an unauthorised betting or gambling site, which it characterizes as a criminal offence. The ANJ also states that despite the transaction ban, traffic from French internet addresses has continued, including a reported increase in monthly visits.
The announcements follow broader regulatory efforts in Europe targeting online prediction markets. France continues to allow some forms of online sports betting, while Polymarket and similar platforms remain restricted.
