France Orders ISPs to Block Polymarket amid Global Crackdown on Prediction Markets

France ordered internet service providers to block access to the prediction market platform Polymarket, marking the latest escalation in a widening international regulatory crackdown on online prediction markets and unlicensed gambling platforms.

The French National Gaming Authority (ANJ) said the decision was driven by concerns over significant financial risks to users, as well as the potential for market manipulation involving contracts traded on the platform.

In a statement published on Friday, the regulator announced that on July 16, 2026, its president formally instructed French internet service providers to restrict access to Polymarket.

“This website, which attracts a particularly large and active audience, promotes illegal betting and gambling services,” the authority said.

Polymarket did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the French order.

France's move comes as regulators across major jurisdictions intensify scrutiny of prediction markets, where users trade binary contracts based on the outcome of future events.

Authorities have raised concerns that these platforms blur the line between financial products and gambling, while exposing retail users to potentially substantial losses and increasing the risk of market abuse.

Also, Spain temporarily barred both Polymarket and Kalshi from operating in the country in May, citing licensing concerns.

The United States moved to tighten oversight in June after the country's top derivatives regulator released draft rules aimed at establishing a stricter regulatory framework for the rapidly expanding prediction market industry.

Prediction markets allow participants to buy and sell binary "Yes" or "No" contracts tied to the outcome of virtually any event, from geopolitical developments and government policy decisions to sporting events and national elections.

The rapid expansion of these platforms has sparked growing criticism from lawmakers and policymakers, many of whom argue that certain contracts provide little or no legitimate economic value while encouraging speculative behavior that could undermine the public interest.

As regulatory pressure mounts across Europe and the United States, operators such as Polymarket and Kalshi face an increasingly uncertain legal landscape, with authorities signaling that closer oversight of prediction markets is likely to continue.