France Orders ISPs to Block Polymarket Access

France’s gambling regulator, the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), has instructed internet service providers to block access to Polymarket, classifying the prediction market as an unauthorised gambling platform rather than a financial trading service. The decision, announced on July 16, follows earlier enforcement measures that regulators said failed to prevent French users from accessing the platform.

ANJ Says Platform Remained Accessible

According to the ANJ, Polymarket continued to be available in France despite a ban on financial transactions introduced in November 2024. The regulator cited Similarweb data showing the website attracted 578,751 visits from 205,057 unique French users during June alone.

The regulator stated that users could bypass existing restrictions through virtual private networks (VPNs). It also noted that Polymarket’s homepage remained publicly accessible, allowing visitors to view live betting markets and real-time odds.

In the ANJ’s assessment, displaying these markets publicly amounts to promoting an unauthorised gambling service within France. The regulator added that breaches of the rules may result in fines of up to €100,000.

Previous Investigations Cited

The ANJ also referred to an investigation launched after Météo-France reported that a temperature sensor linked to weather-related betting markets had allegedly been manipulated. The complaint prompted the Paris prosecutor’s cybercrime unit to open an investigation on May 4.

In addition, the regulator referenced the activity of French trader Fredi9999, who reportedly influenced betting odds during the 2024 U.S. presidential election through multimillion-dollar positions. The case formed part of the regulator’s broader review of Polymarket’s operations.

Polymarket did not comment when contacted by CoinDesk regarding the regulator’s decision.

France Strengthens Enforcement

The latest action follows the ANJ’s decision in February 2026 to formally classify prediction markets as illegal gambling products. At that time, the regulator argued that such platforms contained gambling-style mechanics while lacking safeguards such as stake limits and self-exclusion measures.

Blocking access through internet service providers marks another step in France’s broader enforcement strategy against unauthorised gambling websites. During the previous year, French authorities blocked 1,290 gambling-related URLs, with Polymarket now joining that list.

Growing International Restrictions

France is not alone in taking action against the platform. Polymarket now faces restrictions in more than 30 jurisdictions worldwide.

Access has already been limited in Switzerland, Poland, Singapore, Belgium, Portugal and Spain, while additional restrictions have been introduced in countries including Brazil, Argentina, India, Indonesia, Italy, Germany, Romania, Hungary and Ukraine.

The latest decision places France among a growing number of regulators tightening oversight of prediction market platforms as authorities continue to examine their legal status under existing gambling laws.