France orders internet providers to block Polymarket, calling crypto-based prediction betting illegal

France has moved to cut off access to Polymarket, a popular prediction-markets platform where users wager on real-world outcomes, after the country’s gambling regulator said the site is offering illegal online gambling—particularly through cryptocurrency-based stakes.

The National Gaming Authority, known by its French acronym ANJ, said it ordered French internet service providers to implement technical filtering on July 16, 2026. The regulator argues Polymarket’s markets function like bets on news, politics, economics, and sports—and that the platform is operating outside France’s tightly controlled online gambling system.

The decision doesn’t end the broader fight over prediction markets. It sets up a familiar clash between regulation and technology, including the reality that some users can try to bypass blocks, and it raises questions about how national rules apply to global, crypto-enabled services.

France’s gambling regulator orders ISPs to block Polymarket

In a public statement, the ANJ said it instructed major French internet service providers to block Polymarket starting July 16, 2026. The regulator said the platform promotes an illegal gambling offer under French law.

Polymarket lets users take a paid position—win or lose—on the outcome of future events. Those markets are funded and settled using digital assets, which the ANJ said complicates oversight but does not change the underlying nature of the activity in the regulator’s view.

The ANJ stressed that its action targets a betting service, not a news site or an opinion forum. Under French rules, online gambling is strictly regulated: operators must be licensed and must meet requirements aimed at preventing addiction, protecting minors, ensuring integrity, and monitoring financial flows. The ANJ said Polymarket does not comply with that framework.

Practically, the order relies on ISPs to restrict access from within France. Depending on the operator and the method used, filtering can involve DNS blocking, URL lists, or other restriction techniques. For users, the block often shows up as an error page, a technical redirect, or a site that simply won’t load.

The regulator framed the move as a consumer-protection measure. In France’s system, protections include tools such as deposit limits, self-exclusion options, stronger identity checks, and monitoring for risky behavior. The ANJ said those safeguards are not being provided within a controlled framework on the blocked service.

The ANJ also pointed to rising interest in prediction-market platforms, driven by simple interfaces, international liquidity, and active social-media communities. Popularity, the regulator argued, does not equal compliance—prompting what it described as a targeted administrative policing action focused on access.

Why France says prediction markets like Polymarket cross the line into illegal gambling

Polymarket describes itself as a market where the price of a contract reflects the perceived probability of an event—whether a political decision, an economic indicator, a court ruling, or a sports result. For users, the experience can resemble betting: buying a “yes” or “no” position, hoping to resell at a higher price before the deadline, or collecting a payout if the event happens.

The ANJ said that model amounts to unauthorized gambling in France. The line between forecasting tool and gambling, the regulator argues, turns on factors such as staking money, seeking a gain, and relying on uncertainty or a future outcome. Even if a market is “informational”—for example, tied to inflation, an election, or geopolitics—the ANJ said it can still fall under gambling rules when users put funds at risk.

The cryptocurrency element adds another layer. The ANJ said deposits, withdrawals, token circulation, and the use of digital wallets can make it harder to apply traditional safeguards, including traceability of funds, know-your-customer procedures, and protections for vulnerable users. Those concerns, the authority argues, strengthen the case for limiting access to unlicensed offers.

French authorities have been especially attentive to services that resemble online betting without a license, in part because a regulated market already exists with authorized operators and strict rules. In that context, an international platform reachable in a few clicks can be seen as out-of-framework competition that may bypass taxes, controls, and player protections.

The ANJ also pointed to global momentum. Comparable services—such as Kalshi, cited in recent coverage—have helped popularize online prediction formats. As audiences grow, the regulator said, so does the potential impact on gambling behavior, over-indebtedness, and minors’ exposure.

How ISP filtering works—and why users may still try to bypass it

The ANJ’s order depends on French ISPs to implement the block. This kind of measure is a common tool when authorities deem an online service illegal or noncompliant, but the on-the-ground result can vary because each operator uses different tools and procedures. Some blocks take effect quickly; others can take a few days depending on implementation.

Technically, common approaches include DNS blocking and filtering of specific domains or addresses. DNS blocking prevents a domain name from resolving to an IP address for users relying on their provider’s standard DNS servers. Other methods target traffic to certain destinations. Each approach has limits, including the risk of overblocking and the challenge of keeping up if a site changes domains or infrastructure.

Workarounds are part of the reality. Some users may turn to a VPN, alternative DNS, or other methods to try to regain access. The existence of bypass options doesn’t eliminate the regulator’s interest in blocking, because it can still sharply reduce access for the general public—especially casual users—and add friction that often cuts down impulsive use.

The ANJ also treats blocking as a public signal. It reinforces that online gambling requires authorization in France and warns consumers about risks tied to unregulated offers, including uncertain dispute processes, noncompliant support, and uneven financial and social protections. For users who view prediction platforms as a game or a kind of poll, the regulatory action can change how the product is perceived.

The approach remains contested. Critics argue blocking doesn’t solve everything because international services can shift domains or replicate. Supporters counter that filtering is a proportionate step aimed at reducing exposure to an offer deemed illegal, without censoring journalistic content. In the Polymarket case, the ANJ points to the decisive factor: money at stake and the promise of potential winnings.

What the block could mean for French users and the regulated market

In the short term, the immediate effect is reduced accessibility to Polymarket from standard internet connections in France. That restriction could also push demand elsewhere—either toward operators licensed in France or toward other international platforms that are also unlicensed. For the regulator, the challenge is avoiding a simple game of whack-a-mole and keeping the legal framework clear to consumers.

For users, what happens to funds and open positions depends on the platform’s architecture and how people can connect. A block does not automatically mean accounts are deleted, but it can complicate routine management. Some French users with open positions may try to connect from abroad, use private networks, or wait—conditions that can increase the risk of rushed decisions, panic selling, or user errors, a point gambling-risk prevention groups regularly raise.

The regulated market could benefit from an audience shift, but the products are not the same. Licensed operators in France focus on sports betting, horse-race betting, and poker under strict rules. Betting on current events is different and can raise integrity, manipulation, and conflict-of-interest concerns—issues the ANJ and other European authorities have been watching for years because these formats blend information, public opinion, and financial incentives.

For Polymarket, the article notes several possible paths in cases like this: adapting to local rules, engaging with the regulator, challenging the measures, or steering users to versions of the service that exclude certain territories. Blocking decisions often unfold over longer timelines shaped by national law, infrastructure location, and business strategy. Without additional details on the platform’s official response at the time of the block, the outlook remains uncertain on whether compliant access could return in France.

More broadly, the episode highlights a lasting tension between digital innovation and gambling regulation. Prediction platforms sometimes argue they provide useful signals—aggregating dispersed information, reflecting collective expectations, or helping hedge certain risks. Regulators emphasize their mandate to protect the public and enforce the law. In France, the July 16, 2026 order marks a notable step because it targets a highly visible player and spotlights the role ISPs play in carrying out regulatory decisions.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Polymarket blocked in France? The ANJ says Polymarket promotes an illegal online gambling offer because it allows betting on current events without authorization under France’s legal framework.

When did the block take effect? The ANJ ordered ISPs to block access on July 16, 2026. Rollout can vary by operator and technical method.

Does the block mean the site is shut down? No. The block targets access from within France via ISPs. The platform may remain accessible from other countries depending on local rules and technical measures.

How do ISPs block a site? ISPs can use several methods, including DNS blocking or filtering access to certain domains. The goal is to prevent direct access from a standard internet connection.

Is it legal to use a VPN to access it? The block is a regulatory measure aimed at access. Using a VPN may bypass a filter, but that does not authorize an unlicensed gambling offer. Users are advised to refer to applicable law and official warnings.

Key takeaways

The ANJ ordered French ISPs to block Polymarket on July 16, 2026, saying the crypto-based prediction platform amounts to illegal online gambling under French law. The filtering is designed to curb mass access even though technical workarounds exist, and it renews debate over how prediction markets fit into France’s regulated online betting system—especially for users with open positions who may find account management harder from inside the country.

Sources

Le Monde

France 24

Orange Actu

CNews

Zonebourse