France blocks Polymarket access
Analysis based on 9 articles · First reported Jul 18, 2026 · Last updated Jul 21, 2026
The block adds to regulatory headwinds for Polymarket and the prediction market industry, potentially reducing user growth and revenue. Increased global scrutiny may lead to further restrictions, impacting investor sentiment toward crypto-based prediction platforms.
On July 16, 2026, France's National Gambling Authority (France — Autorité nationale des jeux) ordered internet service providers to block access to Polymarket, a crypto-based prediction market, classifying it as an illegal gambling platform. The regulator cited addictive features, lack of protective mechanisms, and potential market manipulation, including concerns that weather sensors may have been hacked to influence weather-related bets. The Paris prosecutor's cybercrime unit launched an investigation in May 2026. Polymarket had previously been ordered to block financial transactions from French users in November 2024, but users continued to access the site, prompting the broader block. France joins a growing list of countries restricting Polymarket, including Singapore, Poland, Portugal, Hungary, Ukraine, Brazil, Indonesia, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland. The block will remain until Polymarket complies with French gambling laws. Polymarket has not publicly responded. The action follows other controversies, including a The Wall Street Journal investigation into influencer promotions and legal pressure in the U.S., where United States — Kentucky and other states have sued prediction market platforms.
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