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France has escalated its crackdown on the crypto‑based prediction platform Polymarket, ordering internet service providers to block access to the site entirely. The decision follows months of tension between the platform and France’s gambling regulator, the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), which argues that Polymarket operates as an unlicensed gambling service rather than a harmless forecasting tool. Despite earlier financial restrictions, French users continued accessing the site in large numbers, with more than half a million visits recorded in June alone. Regulators say many users bypassed previous limitations through VPNs, prompting the shift toward full network‑level blocking.
The ANJ maintains that Polymarket’s real‑time display of betting odds amounts to advertising for an unauthorized gambling operator, a violation that can carry fines up to €100,000. Officials also point to broader concerns: the absence of self‑exclusion tools, no stake limits, and the addictive nature of rapid‑fire prediction markets. Recent investigations into weather‑related bets—where tampered sensors were discovered—have added to fears about market manipulation and user vulnerability. From the regulator’s perspective, Polymarket lacks the consumer protections required in France’s tightly controlled gambling ecosystem.
This move fits into a wider global trend. Spain has already issued temporary bans on Polymarket and Kalshi, and several U.S. states have introduced legislation or legal actions targeting prediction markets. More than thirty countries now restrict Polymarket in some form, underscoring the growing friction between decentralized prediction platforms and traditional regulatory frameworks. France’s latest action signals a shift from financial enforcement to direct access suppression, making it significantly harder for residents to reach the platform. Whether Polymarket adapts to meet national gambling standards—or continues facing expanding international barriers—remains an open question.