French Regulator Orders ISP Block On Polymarket Access
France’s National Gambling Authority (ANJ) ordered internet providers to block Polymarket for French users, treating it as an illegal gambling site rather than an information market. The regulator cited risks around consumer addiction, weak KYC controls, and possible manipulation of outcomes, including cases like weather-data-based markets where participants might influence the result. The move is not an EU-wide ban, but it signals growing national pressure on prediction markets, especially crypto-native platforms that operate across borders and are easy to access without local licensing. The core regulatory tension is that users are betting on outcomes, while regulators see gambling and consumer-protection issues. France’s action suggests these platforms may need stronger jurisdiction-specific controls, licensing, or access restrictions to operate at scale.
