French gambling authorities took decisive action in order to cut off access to a major international prediction trading platform. On July 16, the president of the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) instructed domestic internet service providers to block the site entirely, citing its promotion of unlicensed betting activities.
This latest enforcement targets Polymarket, a platform where users trade on probable outcomes of global events using cryptocurrency mechanisms.
The ANJ justified the measure by classifying the platform’s offerings as illegal gambling under French legislation.
Officials expressed concerns about potential user exposure to significant financial risks and the possibility that some event contracts could be manipulated.
Even though the homepage displays real-time probabilities and market data, regulators view this as indirect advertising for unauthorized services—a practice punishable by substantial fines.
This step intensifies prior limitations introduced in November 2024. Back then, the operator voluntarily introduced geo-blocking for French IP addresses after regulatory contact.
However, the ANJ observed continued high traffic, including view-only visits that reached over 578,000 in June alone.
The new nationwide ISP-level block aims to close remaining loopholes and will stay active until the platform meets full compliance standards.
The decision arrives at a sensitive moment for sports enthusiasts and market participants.
The FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina had been days away, set to settle what has become the platform’s highest-volume contract ever, exceeding $4 billion in traded interest.
Many French observers who tracked tournament probabilities now encounter barriers precisely when resolution nears, highlighting the awkward intersection of regulation and major sporting calendars.
Prediction platforms operate differently from conventional sportsbooks.
Participants buy and sell outcome shares whose prices reflect collective assessments of likelihood, functioning more like decentralized exchanges than fixed-odds betting.
Supporters praise the transparency and information aggregation they provide.
French authorities, however, apply the same framework used for other unlicensed gaming sites, stressing the absence of consumer safeguards such as stake caps, exclusion options, and responsible-gaming tools.
Promoting or enabling access to such services violates French criminal provisions, with penalties up to €100,000.
The ANJ has blocked thousands of similar domains in recent years as part of its mandate to channel activity toward licensed operators and protect the public.
While tech-savvy users may attempt circumvention through VPN services, the regulator’s move signals a firm stance against offshore platforms that bypass local licensing.
Broader context reveals growing European scrutiny of these hybrid financial-gaming models.
Several countries have issued warnings or restrictions, balancing innovation in information markets against traditional gambling rules designed to prevent harm.
In France, licensed providers remain available for sports wagering, ensuring regulated alternatives exist for those interested in event forecasting.
The episode now underscores challenges in governing digital platforms that transcend borders.
As prediction trading gains mainstream visibility through high-profile events, regulators face pressure to adapt frameworks without stifling technological progress. For now, French users have had to navigate the restrictions while the World Cup delivered its finale and associated markets reached their conclusions.