- France shifted from payment limits to ISP blocking after traffic remained high.
- ANJ figures show geo-restrictions failed to stop more than 205,000 French users.
- The crackdown links licensing failures with identity checks and insider-trading risks.
France has intensified its enforcement against Polymarket after earlier transaction restrictions failed to prevent domestic users from reaching the prediction platform. On July 16, the National Gambling Authority ordered French internet providers to block the website, citing continued access to unauthorized betting services.
The measure goes beyond the regulator’s November 2024 warning, which prompted Polymarket to stop financial transactions originating from France. Despite that restriction, the platform recorded 578,751 visits and 205,057 unique French visitors in June, according to ANJ data.
France Moves From Geo-Blocking to ISP-Level Enforcement
The latest order targets the platform’s visibility rather than only its payment activity. Regulators said users continued bypassing existing controls, showing that voluntary geo-restrictions had not effectively limited access.
ANJ also treated the website’s homepage as promotional content, considering it constantly displayed changing probabilities for live events. The authority said that the presentation continued to advertise an illegal gambling service to domestic users.
The enforcement action also reflects broader concerns about identity checks and market integrity. ANJ said the platform lacked sufficient controls to verify users and assess their integrity.
Similarly, French authorities separately examined weather-related contracts after sensors were allegedly compromised. As a result, Paris prosecutors opened a cybercrime investigation on May 4 and assigned the case to France’s anti-cybercrime office.
Identity Failures and Insider Risks Deepen Regulatory Pressure
Concerns surrounding prediction markets also extend beyond French licensing rules. In May, the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission charged a Google employee over alleged confidential information trading.
The employee allegedly earned about $1.2 million through Polymarket contracts linked to Google’s 2025 search rankings. The case highlighted risks when outcomes may be known or influenced by insiders.
Regulatory treatment remains divided across jurisdictions. France classifies the platform as illegal gambling, while the United States permits its return through licensed exchange and clearing infrastructure.
However, the CFTC is also considering tighter scrutiny for contracts involving war, terrorism, assassination, unlawful conduct, and gaming. Spain temporarily restricted Polymarket and Kalshi in May, while Australia previously sought ISP blocking over local licensing failures.
Overall, France’s latest order shows that approval in one market does not guarantee access elsewhere under different national rules. For prediction market operators, compliance controls now carry equal importance to trading volume and liquidity.
Related: Polymarket and CEO Shayne Coplan Sued Over Strategy Bitcoin Sale
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