Polymarket to Contest French ISP Block Order in Court

Polymarket said it will challenge France's decision to block access to its website, arguing the measure is overly broad given that trading from France has been disabled since November 2024. France's National Gambling Authority (ANJ) last week instructed internet service providers to block the platform, citing risks of user losses and markets it said could be subject to manipulation. Polymarket said it will pursue remedies through the French legal system and said the order improperly affects people who use the site only to view market odds rather than place trades. "We were surprised at the ANJ decision to block access to our entire website because their measure targets people going to Polymarket purely for information," the company said in a press release. Polymarket added that many visitors come to "learn the probability of future events" and said "Prediction markets help source truth." At the center of the dispute is how Polymarket's contracts should be classified. The company describes them as blockchain-based financial instruments traded directly between users, with prices determined by market activity. It also said it does not take the other side of trades or profit from outcomes, positioning its model as distinct from gambling operators that set odds and trade against customers. The ANJ said the platform remained accessible even after trading restrictions were introduced and continued to promote an unauthorized gambling service. The regulator also pointed to concerns around identity checks and alleged manipulation in weather-related markets. France is the latest jurisdiction to order an ISP-level block of Polymarket. Ukraine imposed a similar block in January, Argentina followed in March, and Spain blocked Polymarket and Kalshi in May. France's move extends beyond the trading restriction already in place: Polymarket has blocked transactions from France since November 2024, but the ANJ ordered the full site blocked because users could still view markets and live probabilities. Other countries, including Brazil, India, Indonesia and Romania, have also restricted access or categorized Polymarket as an unauthorized gambling platform. A Ukrainian government policy official said the country currently lacks a legal framework under which the platform could operate. CoinDesk said it asked Polymarket whether it is contesting enforcement actions outside France, but had not received a response at the time of publication.