France Blocks Polymarket

Polymarket plans to challenge a decision by the French regulator ordering internet service providers to block the entire website. The platform argues that the measure is disproportionate because it also prevents access for people who only use the site to check forecasts about future events.

France’s National Gambling Authority, the ANJ, issued the order last week. It concluded that Polymarket exposes users to potential losses and that its markets may be vulnerable to manipulation. The regulator also raised concerns about identity verification and suspected manipulation of weather-related markets.

Trading from France had already been disabled in November 2024. Users could still browse markets and view current probabilities, however. According to the ANJ, the platform therefore remained accessible and continued to promote an unauthorized gambling service.

Polymarket intends to challenge the decision in the French courts. The company stresses that many people use the platform solely as a source of information and have no intention of placing trades.

The dispute also concerns how Polymarket’s contracts should be classified. The company describes them as blockchain-based financial instruments traded directly between users, with prices determined by market activity. Polymarket is not a party to these transactions and does not profit from their outcomes. According to the company, this distinguishes its model from that of a gambling operator that sets the odds.

France is the latest country to block Polymarket at the internet service provider level. Ukraine did so in January, Argentina followed in March, and Spain blocked both Polymarket and Kalshi in May. Brazil, India, Indonesia and Romania have also restricted access or classified the platform as an unauthorized gambling service. According to a Ukrainian government representative, the country currently has no regulations that would allow Polymarket to operate legally.