France blocks Polymarket website after visits hit 578,751 despite existing transaction ban

The block order

On 17 July 2026, France's gambling regulator, the Autorité nationale des jeux (ANJ), ordered internet service providers to block access to Polymarket, a US-based online prediction market. The order deepens a November 2024 prohibition that already barred financial transactions from French accounts. Until now, the site's homepage remained accessible, displaying real-time odds on events as varied as elections, international conflicts, and even the return of Jesus.

Advertising rationale

The ANJ contends that the site's continued availability amounts to illegal advertising for an unlicensed gambling operation. The authority pointed to the dynamic display of odds "in real time" as a promotional tool, even though users could not place bets from France.

Advertising, by any means whatsoever, in favour of an unauthorised betting or gambling site is a criminal offence.

Fines can reach €100,000. The regulator noted that anyone who disseminates odds from an unapproved site faces the same penalty.

Traffic surge despite ban

Despite the transaction ban, Polymarket's French audience has grown steadily. In June 2026, the site recorded 578,751 visits and 205,057 unique visitors from French IP addresses, according to ANJ data. The regulator said the platform "has not ceased to gain visitors on French territory" over the past two years.

What is Polymarket?

Launched in 2020, Polymarket allows users to wager on virtually any future event, from football matches and presidential elections to the timing of the return of Jesus Christ or a fight between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. Unlike sports betting, where event dates are fixed, the platform's appeal lies in its predictive nature, with long odds promising large returns but carrying significant addiction risks, according to the ANJ. The site updates odds in real time, creating a dynamic betting environment that the French regulator views as inherently promotional.

Controversies and investigations

Polymarket has been linked to several high-profile incidents. In April, Météo-France filed a complaint after one of its temperature probes was tampered with, allegedly to influence weather-related bets on the platform. The Paris prosecutor's cybercrime section opened an investigation on 4 May 2026, assigned to the Office anti-cybercriminalité (OFAC).

In the United States, a soldier faces federal charges for using classified information to bet on the January operation to capture former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, reportedly earning more than $400,000. The White House also suspended a teleprompter operator on 16 July over allegations he placed bets on the content of President Donald Trump's speeches.

European context

France joins a growing list of European countries that restrict or block prediction markets. The ANJ's statement listed Germany, Belgium, Romania, Switzerland, Poland, the Netherlands, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Ukraine, and the Czech Republic as having similar measures. France permits online sports betting, but Polymarket's broader scope falls outside the legal framework. The ANJ noted that "the hybrid nature of these markets may explain the varied approaches of regulators around the world."