France has ordered internet service providers to block access to Polymarket, with the country's gambling regulator citing the platform's lack of authorization to offer money-gaming services in the French market.
What France's ISP blocking order means for Polymarket
The action targets Polymarket at the network level, requiring French internet providers to cut off access to the site rather than relying on a voluntary restriction by the platform itself, according to reporting on the order. For related coverage, see France Plans Retaliation Over US Tariff Threats.
An ISP-level block means users attempting to reach Polymarket from within France would be prevented from loading the site through their normal connection. It is an access restriction imposed on the provider, not a criminal ban on individual users. For related coverage, see Romania Bans Polymarket: Illegal Crypto Gambling Cited.
The measure was set out by France's gaming authority, the ANJ, in a notice describing the promotion of an illegal money-gaming offer and the blocking of the Polymarket site, published on the regulator's website. For related coverage, see Noxa, a Memecoin Launchpad on Robinhood Chain, Ceases Operations.
Why authorization concerns are central to the case
The regulator's stated rationale centers on authorization: Polymarket is treated as offering a money-gaming service that is not licensed to operate in France. The concern is framed around illegal gambling rather than a purely financial-markets classification.
That framing matters because it places Polymarket's event-based prediction markets inside France's regulated gambling perimeter, where operators must hold the appropriate authorization before offering services to French residents.
France is not alone in reaching that conclusion. Romania previously moved against the platform, with authorities there citing illegal crypto gambling in banning Polymarket, indicating a pattern of European regulators treating the model as unlicensed gaming.
What the move could signal for users and crypto prediction markets
For users inside France, the immediate consequence is disrupted access to Polymarket through domestic internet providers once the blocking order takes effect.
The decision lands amid broader regulatory pressure on crypto platforms operating in France, where Binance separately suspended crypto trading services under MiCA pressure. The trend points to tightening enforcement toward platforms perceived to lack proper authorization.
Polymarket's prediction markets have drawn attention beyond gambling regulators, including for how its odds are read as a real-time gauge of events such as Federal Reserve rate decisions. That visibility raises the stakes of losing access in a major European market.
Additional reporting on the French block was published by Crypto Briefing, which framed the action around the same gambling and authorization concerns. As of publication, no confirmed compliance response or appeal path from Polymarket appears in the available evidence.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency and digital asset markets carry significant risk. Always do your own research before making decisions.