TheBlock
France's National Gambling Authority ordered internet service providers to block Polymarket on July 16, hours before the World Cup final is set to settle the largest event markets the prediction-market industry has seen.
The regulator's president cited two grounds: that the platform promotes illegal gambling under French law, and that some of its wagers may be vulnerable to manipulation. The order effectively geo-blocks French users from accessing the site during the highest-volume moment of its trading history.
Why it matters
Polymarket has spent much of 2025 pushing into the institutional mainstream, with deeper liquidity, more market makers, and growing overlap with traditional finance desks. France is not banning the company outright; it is treating the platform as an unlicensed gambling operator. That framing matters because it sidesteps the longer-running debate over whether event contracts are financial derivatives, commodities, or bets. The gambling route is faster, narrower, and easier to enforce at the ISP layer.
Market impact
The immediate hit is to French retail flow into World Cup markets that had been building for weeks. The structural read is bigger: Polymarket now has a working playbook from a G7 regulator on how to cut it off, and the ISP-level mechanism is straightforward to replicate. Watch whether other EU members, particularly those tightening gambling oversight under MiCA-adjacent frameworks, follow with similar orders.
Frequently asked questions
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Why did France block Polymarket instead of regulating it?
The National Gambling Authority framed Polymarket as an unlicensed gambling operator, which lets regulators use the gambling statute to issue an ISP-level block quickly rather than waiting for derivatives or market-rule legislation to catch up.
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When does the Polymarket block take effect in France?
The order was issued on July 16, cutting French users off ahead of the World Cup final, which Polymarket has said is the largest event market in its history.
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Is Polymarket banned in all of France or just specific users?
The order is a national geo-block at the ISP layer, not a company-wide ban. French users cannot reach the site, but Polymarket itself continues operating in other jurisdictions.
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Does this affect Polymarket's World Cup final market?
Yes. French retail flow into World Cup markets was building for weeks ahead of the final. The block cuts that participation off right before settlement.
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Could other EU countries block Polymarket the same way?
The ISP-level mechanism is straightforward to replicate, and other EU members tightening gambling oversight could issue similar orders. France has now set a working template.
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