# France blocks access to Polymarket over illegal betting concerns French regulator orders ISPs to ban the prediction market platform for offering unauthorized gambling services. - **Source:** [ReadWrite](https://brifing.si/source/7a996b61-bc09-4e57-8483-78f2ad9dd914) - **Published:** 2026-07-20 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/0a9c372e-e28f-4982-ad2e-41709f9cbb4d ## France's decisive action France's National Gambling Authority (ANJ) instructed internet providers to block access to Polymarket, citing unauthorized betting services. The decision came after the platform continued reaching French users despite previous restrictions. Authorities determined the site violated French gambling laws. ## Geoblocking proved ineffective Polymarket had implemented geoblocking following ANJ's initial warning, but regulators found these measures insufficient as French users could still access the platform. The company's operations were deemed illegal under French law, prompting the full access ban announced in July 2026. ## Lack of consumer protections ANJ highlighted that prediction markets share addictive features with regulated gambling but lack mandatory consumer safeguards. Suspicious activity in weather-related bets raised integrity concerns. The absence of proper user verification systems also drew regulatory criticism. ## Growing user base Polymarket's French audience grew steadily, with 205,000 unique visitors in June 2026 alone. The homepage displaying live betting odds served as a major promotional channel for unlicensed gambling services in France, according to regulators monitoring the platform since 2024. ## Global crackdown expands France's move aligns with increasing worldwide scrutiny of prediction markets. Romania and Indonesia previously blocked Polymarket, with Indonesian authorities declaring that staking money on uncertain future events constitutes illegal gambling regardless of cryptocurrency use. ## Ongoing enforcement ANJ revealed it blocked 1,290 URLs in 2025 and will continue monitoring Polymarket's compliance efforts. The regulator will assess whether the platform implements robust identity and location verification systems. Promoting unlicensed gambling in France carries fines up to €100,000. ## Sources covering this story - https://readwrite.com/france-orders-internet-providers-block-access-polymarket/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._