The ANJ, France’s gambling regulator, has mandated that internet service providers (ISPs) block access to Polymarket, a forecasting market platform, due to concerns related to unauthorized gambling and public safety. This directive was issued following a thorough two-year investigation into the operations of Adventure One, Polymarket’s parent company.
The decision by ANJ saw its president activating administrative powers to enforce measures that obligate French ISPs to restrict access to Polymarket's website and its associated variants. According to the regulator, these services are considered unlicensed gambling activities, running counter to French legislation.
Polymarket allows users to place bets on various events, ranging from political elections to weather forecasts, using a prediction market model. The ANJ first became aware of the platform in November 2024. After sending a formal warning to the operators, Polymarket responded by implementing a geoblocking strategy intended to deter French users from placing bets. However, this action failed to completely prevent access, and tech-savvy users found ways to bypass the restrictions.
The regulator also noted that Polymarket's homepage prominently displayed dynamic odds for numerous events, effectively acting as a marketing tool that drew in French users. In June 2026 alone, the site received 578,751 visits, including 205,057 unique visitors from France.
ANJ's notice articulated several points of concern that justified the blocking initiative. Firstly, prediction markets are not sanctioned in France and are thus classified as gambling activities. The ANJ underscored the potential risks associated with addiction and the integrity of market operations when strict regulations are lacking.
Additionally, some markets, particularly those tied to weather forecasts, raised alarms about possible data manipulation. This led to an investigation by the Paris public prosecutor's cybercrime unit, which assigned the case to the Office Anti-cybercriminalité (OFAC) on May 4, 2026.
The regulator criticized Polymarket for not implementing adequate know-your-customer (KYC) measures to verify user identities, a crucial aspect under French and European laws. Furthermore, the open display of odds was categorized as promotional activity for unlicensed gambling sites, which is illegal in France; violations can incur penalties of up to €100,000 (approximately $114,347).
This action is not unprecedented for the ANJ, which in 2025 blocked over 1,290 URLs associated with illegal gambling operations. Just last week, ANJ levied a €500,000 fine against an unnamed online betting operator, referred to as Company X, for failing to properly identify customers exhibiting signs of gambling problems.
In broader Europe, responses to prediction markets differ but increasingly lean towards stricter regulations. A number of countries, including Germany, Belgium, Romania, and Italy, have recently enacted limitations or access restrictions on similar platforms.
Moreover, nine European regulators have launched a collective initiative aimed at unlicensed prediction market platforms due to concerns regarding consumer risks, especially with 24/7 access and the absence of mandated betting limits or cooling-off periods, which can heighten gambling-related harm among vulnerable demographics, including youth.
Contrary to this trend, the Gibraltar government introduced a regulatory framework last week to facilitate its entry into the prediction markets sector, proposing an “activity-based and risk-based approach” based on the risks involved, which encompass market integrity, participant safeguarding, prevention of financial crime, and overall operational resilience.
