French Internet Service Providers Told to Block Access to Polymarket
The regulator said Polymarket’s continued availability could expose users to gambling losses and manipulated wagers, and visits from French internet addresses reached 578,751 in June.
- On Friday, July 17, 2026, France's National Gambling Authority ordered internet service providers to block access to the Polymarket betting website, citing concerns over potential user losses and market manipulation.
- The ANJ stated the site's continued availability constitutes illegal advertising, noting that despite a November 2024 ban on financial transactions, French user visits reached 578,751 in June.
- Violating advertising laws carries potential fines reaching €100,000, while the regulator cited risks including the April hacking of a Meteo-France weather probe to manipulate betting outcomes.
- Similar restrictions exist across Europe, with countries including Germany, Italy, and Spain also blocking or limiting access to prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket.
- US regulators are drafting new rules for prediction markets amid scandals, including a soldier's alleged $400,000 profit from classified betting and a White House teleprompter operator's suspension.
25 Articles
25 Articles
Although Polymarket operations had been banned for French users since 2024, the authorities also decided to prevent access to the site.
France Moves to Restrict Polymarket Amid Global Regulatory Scrutiny
France's gambling authority has instructed internet providers to block Polymarket, citing concerns about potential financial losses and manipulative wagers. This move aligns with global regulatory efforts to control prediction markets, as seen in Spain's temporary ban and forthcoming U.S. regulations on platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi.
French internet service providers told to block access to Polymarket
PARIS, July 17 (Reuters) - France's gambling regulator said on Friday it had instructed internet service providers to block access to the Polymarket betting website, citing concerns that it could expose users to significant gambling losses and that s...
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