The French Autorité Nationale des jeux (ANJ), or National Gambling Authority, ordered internet service providers to block access to Polymarket.

On Friday, ANJ said prediction websites are considered illegal gambling press release.

The regulator said Polymarket’s operations were not permitted in France and that advertising unauthorized gambling sites was an offense punishable by a fine of up to 100,000 euros ($114,000).

Prediction markets allow users to buy and sell contracts tied to the outcomes of future events, from elections and sporting events to economic data and geopolitical developments. Polymarket has grown in popularity over the past two years, reaching billions of dollars in trading volume, with regulators investigating whether its event deals constituted illegal gambling or unlicensed financial products.

Countries that have blocked access to Polymarket include Singapore, Poland, Portugal, Hungary, Ukraine, Brazil and Indonesia. At press time, Polymarket he said has been geo-blocked in 36 regions.

France’s gambling regulator has shared for the first time its plans to block the platform in November 2024 due to failure to comply with the country’s gambling regulations.

Related: Polymarket affected by theft of $2.9 million, users will receive a refund

The French gambling authority cites concerns about result manipulation

The French gaming authority said Polymarket offered “addictive features” similar to regulated gambling offers, but “enhanced by the lack of protective mechanisms found in the legal gambling market.”

He also cited potential performance manipulation related to some Polymarket event contracts, adding:

“Some of the bets offered on this platform appeared to be rigged: for example, weather bets showed that weather sensors could have been hacked.”

The cybercrime department of the Paris prosecutor’s office opened an investigation into this case in May 2026 and found a lack of identity verification, e.g. Know Your Customer checks.

Prediction markets have also come under scrutiny from U.S. regulators. On June 17, Kentucky sued five prediction marketplace platforms, including Kalshi and Polymarket, accusing them of operating unlicensed sports betting platforms. At least 17 other states followed suit.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission sued eight states, arguing that they interfered with the federal regulator’s exclusive authority over federally regulated event contracts.

Warehouse: Dubai Leads Asia’s Cryptocurrency Hubs, Taiwan Passes Cryptocurrency Laws: Asia Express