France's regulatory authority claims the platform continues to endorse illegal gambling, highlighting risks such as losses, identity verification issues, and market manipulation.
By Francisco Rodrigues|Edited by Jamie Crawley Jul 23, 2026, 11:53 a.m. 2 min readMake preferred on ShareShare this articleCopy linkX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmailMake preferred on Polymarket CEO Shayne CoplanSummaryShow- Polymarket intends to contest France’s complete site block, asserting that trading has been disabled since November 2024.
- France’s regulatory body claims the platform promotes illegal gambling, citing risks of loss, identity checks, and market manipulation.
- This action makes France the latest country to implement an ISP block, following similar measures in Ukraine, Argentina, and Spain.
Polymarket plans to contest the French decision to block its website, arguing that users are being denied access to its market probabilities despite trading being disabled since November 2024.
Last week, France’s National Gambling Authority ordered internet service providers to restrict access to the platform, stating that it exposes users to potential losses and offers markets that could be subject to manipulation.
Polymarket plans to challenge this ruling in the French courts and described the order as excessive, as it affects users who visit the site purely for information rather than trading.
“We were taken aback by the ANJ's decision to block our entire website, as their action targets individuals who visit Polymarket solely for information,” the company stated in a press release.
“We take pride in the fact that most users come to Polymarket mainly to understand the probabilities of future events pertinent to their daily lives without any intention to engage in trading,” they added. “Prediction markets contribute to uncovering the truth.”
The disagreement partly revolves around how to classify Polymarket’s contracts. The company describes these as blockchain-based financial instruments that are traded directly between users, with prices determined by market dynamics.
Polymarket emphasized that it does not take the opposite side of trades nor profits from market outcomes, differentiating its framework from that of a gambling operator that sets odds and competes against its customers.
The French regulatory authority asserted that the platform remained accessible even after trading restrictions were enacted and continued to promote an unauthorized gambling service.
Concerns were also raised regarding identity verification and potential manipulation of markets related to weather events.
France joins a series of countries that have mandated internet service providers to block Polymarket. Ukraine initiated an ISP-level block in January, Argentina followed suit in March, and Spain enacted a block in May.
Other nations, including Brazil, India, Indonesia, and Romania, have also imposed restrictions or classified Polymarket as an unauthorized gambling platform. Currently, Ukraine lacks a legal framework allowing the platform to operate, as per a government policy official.
CoinDesk reached out to Polymarket to inquire about potential challenges to enforcement actions in countries outside France, but had not received a response at the time of publication.
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