France orders Polymarket blocked over illegal gambling promotion

July 20, 2026 - 02:52

French authorities have ordered internet service providers to block access to the prediction market platform Polymarket, citing violations of national gambling laws. The decision follows a cybercrime investigation into manipulated bets on weather events, which prosecutors say amounted to illegal gambling promotion under French regulations.

The probe focused on allegations that users rigged wagers on temperature and rainfall outcomes, exploiting the platform's lack of oversight. French law strictly limits online betting to licensed operators, and Polymarket, a decentralized crypto-based exchange, does not hold such authorization. Regulators argue that its prediction contracts function as unlicensed gambling, not as legitimate financial or information markets.

This action adds to growing global scrutiny of prediction markets. In the United States, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission has pursued legal action against similar platforms, while European regulators have raised concerns about consumer protection and market integrity. Polymarket has defended its model, claiming it provides valuable data on future events, but French officials remain unmoved.

Users in France now face blocked access unless they use VPNs or other workarounds. The company has not publicly commented on the enforcement, but the case underscores the tension between decentralized platforms and national regulatory frameworks. As prediction markets expand, more countries are likely to confront the same legal gray areas.