France Blocks Access to Polymarket Nationwide, Citing Illegal Gambling
Summary
- France’s National Gaming Authority, or ANJ, said it had ordered internet service providers to block domestic access to prediction-market platform Polymarket.
- ANJ said Polymarket was attracting a large number of users, promoting illegal gambling and betting, and was deemed not to comply with French gambling regulations.
- Regulators are tightening oversight as prediction-market platforms including Polymarket and Kalshi gain popularity, with Spain imposing a temporary operating ban and the US publishing a new draft regulatory framework for the industry.
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France’s gambling regulator has ordered a nationwide block on access to prediction-market platform Polymarket.
Reuters reported on July 17 that France’s National Gaming Authority, or ANJ, said in a statement that it had instructed French internet service providers to block access to the Polymarket website. The regulator said the site was drawing a large number of users and promoting illegal gambling and betting.
The block will remain in place as long as Polymarket is deemed not to comply with France’s gambling regulations, an ANJ spokesperson added.
According to the statement, users on the platform have also placed bets on subjects such as weather forecasts. That has raised concerns that insider information may have been misused.
Regulators in multiple countries have tightened oversight as prediction-market platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi surge in popularity. The platforms let users bet on a wide range of topics, from sports and election results to geopolitical events related to the wars in Iran and Ukraine.
In May, Spain temporarily banned Polymarket and Kalshi from operating in the country. In June, the US published a new draft regulatory framework for the prediction-market industry, signaling a broader push toward tighter restrictions.
