France blocks access to crypto prediction markets

TLDR

Frances gambling regulator has ordered domestic internet providers to block access to Polymarket, cutting French users off from a major crypto prediction market platform.

1. The National Gambling Authority (ANJ) classified Polymarket as illegal gambling and told ISPs to geoblock the site after earlier financial restrictions failed.
2. Regulators cite addiction risks, lack of KYC and self?exclusion tools, and concrete cases of alleged market manipulation and hacked data feeds on Polymarket.
3. The move fits a broader global crackdown on crypto prediction markets and raises questions about how these platforms will be classified and regulated in Europe and beyond.

Deep Dive

1. Scope Of The French Block

Frances Autorit Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) ordered internet service providers on 1617 July 2026 to block access to Polymarket, treating it as an unauthorized gambling site rather than a financial venue, according to reports from CoinDesk and France 24. The regulator said prior measures, including a transaction ban and view?only mode starting in November 2024, were insufficient as the platform still drew around 578,000 visits from French IPs in June 2026. Displaying live odds to French users is deemed illegal gambling advertising, with fines that can reach 100,000 euros for violations. The block applies to access from France; Polymarket continues operating in other jurisdictions.

2. Regulatory Concerns Around Prediction Markets

ANJ and other regulators frame crypto prediction markets as gambling because users stake money on uncertain outcomes, regardless of the underlying blockchain technology, as highlighted by Cointelegraphs coverage of the decision. France points to several risks: addictive mechanics, no stake limits or self?exclusion tools, weak identity checks and KYC, and the possibility of insiders or wealthy traders moving odds for profit. Authorities also reference specific manipulation incidents, such as hacked Meteo?France weather sensors allegedly used to rig weather?based markets, and large political bets by a trader known as Fredi9999 that reportedly generated tens of millions of dollars in profit. Academic work cited by European regulators has found incentives for settlement?price manipulation even in short?term Bitcoin markets on these platforms.

3. Global Crackdown And What To Watch

Frances action comes as Polymarket is already geoblocked in dozens of regions, including Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil and multiple Eastern European and Asian countries, according to Polymarkets own disclosures and CoinsKid community reporting. European regulators are still debating whether some event contracts should be treated as gambling or as financial instruments under MiFID II, which would bring securities and derivatives rules into play. In the United States, state gambling regulators and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission are also in conflict over who controls prediction markets.

Conclusion

Frances ISP?level block on Polymarket shows that large crypto prediction markets are now firmly in the sights of gambling and financial regulators, especially when consumer protections and data integrity are questioned. For the sector, the key uncertainty is not just enforcement, but classification: whether these platforms end up regulated like casinos, like exchanges, or in a hybrid model will determine how accessible they remain and what safeguards they must build.