French Gambling Crackdown: Why Polymarket’s Internet Access Just Got Mysteriously Cut Off

Ever wondered what happens when a prediction market rides the fine line between savvy speculation and outright illegal gambling? Well, France’s National Gambling Authority—or ANJ as the insiders call it—just threw down the gauntlet, ordering ISPs to block Polymarket, the wildly popular platform that lets folks bet on everything from elections to the weather. It’s a classic showdown: innovative financial tools versus regulatory crackdowns, with suspicious whispers of rigged bets and hacked weather sensors stirring up a storm. Sure, billions have flowed through Polymarket in the past couple of years, but apparently, that’s not enough to keep the regulator’s hammer at bay—especially when protections and proper checks are missing. If you’re curious about why this digital betting frenzy is getting the cold shoulder in 36 regions worldwide, and what it means for the future of online prediction markets, you’ll want to dive deeper. LEARN MORE.

France’s Autorité nationale des jeux (ANJ), or the National Gambling Authority, has ordered internet service providers to block access to Polymarket.

Prediction websites are considered illegal gambling, the ANJ said in a Friday press release.

The regulator said that Polymarket’s operations are not authorized in France and that advertising unauthorized gambling sites constitutes a criminal offense with fines of up to 100,000 euros ($114,000).

Prediction markets allow users to buy and sell contracts tied to the outcomes of future events, from elections and sporting events to economic data and geopolitical developments. Polymarket has surged in popularity over the past two years, with billions of dollars in trading volume, while drawing scrutiny from regulators over whether its event contracts constitute illegal gambling or unlicensed financial products.

Countries that blocked access to Polymarket include Singapore, Poland, Portugal, Hungary, Ukraine, Brazil and Indonesia. At press time, Polymarket said it was geoblocked in 36 regions.

France’s gambling regulator first shared plans to block the platform in November 2024 for failing to comply with national gambling laws.

Related: Polymarket hit by $2.9M theft, users to be refunded

French gambling authority cites outcome manipulation concerns

France’s gambling authority said Polymarket boasts “addictive features” that are similar to regulated gambling offerings, but “amplified by the absence of the protective mechanisms found in the legal gambling market.”

It also cited potential outcome manipulation tied to some event contracts on Polymarket, adding:

“Some of the bets offered on this platform appeared to be rigged: for example, bets on the weather revealed that weather sensors may have been hacked.”

The cybercrime unit of the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation into this matter in May 2026 and found a lack of identity verification, such as Know Your Customer checks.

Prediction markets have also drawn scrutiny from US regulators. On June 17, Kentucky sued five prediction market platforms, including Kalshi and Polymarket, accusing them of operating unlicensed sports betting platforms. At least 17 other states have followed suit.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission sued eight states, arguing they had interfered with the federal regulator’s exclusive authority over federally regulated event contracts. 

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