France has intensified its crackdown on prediction markets after the country’s gambling regulator instructed internet service providers to block access to Polymarket, arguing that the platform offers unauthorized gambling services and poses risks to consumers.
The order, issued by France’s National Gambling Authority (ANJ), follows growing regulatory scrutiny of prediction market platforms that allow users to wager on the outcome of political, sporting and real-world events. According to the regulator, Polymarket’s offering falls outside the country’s legal gambling framework and will remain inaccessible until it complies with French regulations.
ANJ said the platform has attracted a substantial audience in France despite lacking authorization to operate in the country. The regulator also expressed concerns that prediction markets expose users to significant gambling-related harm while lacking the consumer protection measures required of licensed operators.
Among the issues highlighted by the regulator are the broad range of markets available on the platform, including wagers on weather events and other topics that could be vulnerable to insider information or manipulation. ANJ argues that such products present integrity risks beyond those typically associated with regulated betting.
The latest enforcement action builds on earlier efforts by the French regulator. In late 2024, ANJ challenged Polymarket’s operations in France, leading the company to introduce geoblocking for French users. However, authorities have maintained that access has continued through workarounds such as VPN services, prompting the stronger ISP-level blocking order.
France is not alone in tightening oversight of prediction markets. Regulators across Europe and beyond have increasingly questioned whether platforms such as Polymarket should be treated as financial exchanges or gambling operators. Several European countries, including Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Greece and Poland, have also restricted or blocked access to Polymarket over licensing concerns, while Spain temporarily suspended both Polymarket and Kalshi earlier this year.
The global debate over prediction markets has intensified as the sector continues to expand rapidly. Supporters argue these platforms improve information discovery and forecasting, while critics warn they blur the line between financial products and gambling, raising concerns over consumer protection, market manipulation and responsible gambling standards.
Polymarket had not publicly responded to the French regulator’s latest action at the time of reporting. Meanwhile, ANJ reiterated that only operators complying with France’s gambling laws and licensing requirements are permitted to offer betting products to consumers.