France’s gambling regulator ordered internet service providers to block Polymarket on July 16, saying the US-based crypto prediction market is an illegal gambling site rather than a financial trading venue.

The Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) said restrictions on transactions imposed in November 2024 did not stop access. Citing Similarweb, the regulator said Polymarket drew 578,751 visits from 205,057 visitors in France in June, and that its homepage’s live odds promoted an unauthorized gambling service.

Under a 2022 law, the ANJ president can order internet service providers and search engines to block illegal gambling sites after notice to publishers and hosts.

The regulator treats unauthorized offers in France as illegal when they involve a financial sacrifice, the hope of winning, and an element of chance.

Polymarket has faced scrutiny in the US. In 2022, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission said its markets were event-based binary options and ordered a US$1.4 million penalty over an unregistered facility.

French authorities are examining whether bets were linked to manipulated weather data after airport temperature anomalies coincided with Polymarket users winning about US$14,000 and more than US$20,000.

France’s move follows restrictions on Polymarket in Europe, including Spain’s temporary block during a license probe.

🔗 Source: CoinDesk