France's regulatory body for gambling, the ANJ, has mandated that internet service providers (ISPs) block access to the prediction market platform Polymarket, citing unauthorized gambling activities and public safety risks as the primary concerns.
This directive came after an in-depth two-year investigation into the operations of Adventure One, Polymarket’s parent company. The president of ANJ used administrative powers to compel French ISPs to restrict access to Polymarket’s website and its variants, arguing that such services qualify as unlicensed games of chance and are thus illegal under French law.
Polymarket, which enables users to place bets on various events, including political outcomes and weather changes through a prediction market format, first gained the ANJ's scrutiny back in November 2024. Following a formal warning, the platform implemented a geoblocking feature aimed at preventing transactions from French IP addresses. However, this measure did not fully restrict access, as users found ways to bypass these barriers using technology.
ANJ noted that Polymarket's homepage prominently displayed continually updated odds for numerous events, which served as a significant promotional channel appealing to French users. The regulator highlighted data showing that Polymarket attracted 578,751 visits in June 2026, with 205,057 being unique French visitors.
Several pivotal concerns underpinned the ANJ's notice for the blocking measure. Firstly, since prediction markets are unapproved in France, they fall under the category of gambling activities. The ANJ emphasized the potential risks related to addiction and market integrity without adequate regulation. Furthermore, some markets, particularly those linked to weather data, raised alarms about possible data manipulation. On 4 May 2026, the Paris public prosecutor’s cybercrime unit initiated an investigation into these matters, entrusting the Office Anti-cybercriminalité (OFAC) with the case.
The regulator also criticized Polymarket for not implementing effective know-your-customer (KYC) procedures—an essential requirement under both French and European regulations to verify user identities and assess trustworthiness.
Additionally, the public dissemination of odds was viewed as a promotional activity. Under French law, the promotion of unlicensed gambling services can incur criminal penalties, including fines reaching €100,000 ($114,347).
This decision is not unprecedented; in 2025, ANJ reported blocking 1,290 URLs linked to illegal gambling sites. Just last week, the authority imposed a €500,000 fine on an anonymous online betting operator, identified as Company X, for inadequately addressing the needs of customers displaying gambling issues.
Across Europe, regulatory approaches to prediction markets have become increasingly stringent. Several countries, including Germany, Belgium, Romania, Switzerland, and others, have recently enacted similar access restrictions. Additionally, nine European regulators have launched a collaborative initiative targeting unlicensed prediction market platforms, citing consumer protection concerns over unrestricted access that could lead to increased gambling harm, particularly among youth.
In contrast, the Gibraltar government recently introduced a regulatory framework aimed at fostering growth in prediction markets. This framework proposes an “activity-based and risk-based approach,” aiming to manage risks associated with market integrity, participant safety, financial crime, and overall operational resilience while ensuring objective settlement of transactions.
