France’s gambling regulator orders ISPs to block Polymarket access

France orders ISPs to block Polymarket. The ANJ labels it illegal gambling and flags KYC and manipulation risks.

The ANJ president issued the network-level block on July 16. The order targets access inside France, not the EU. Source: ANJ blocking announcement.

Key issues the ANJ cites:
- No KYC and weak consumer safeguards
- Risk of problem gambling and underage access
- Potential manipulation of outcomes, including weather data
Source: ANJ order details.

Prediction markets meet gambling law. The ANJ treats wagers as betting offered without authorization. Cross-border, wallet-based access adds pressure. ISPs become the enforcement tool. Source: ANJ primary source.

Manipulation risk differs from finance. Traders could try to influence real-world events in low-liquidity or data-source-specific markets. Weather data was a cited example. Source: ANJ notice.

This is a sector warning. National regulators can apply gambling rules to crypto-native prediction venues. Platforms may need geo-blocking, licensing, and KYC to scale in regulated markets. France’s stance is clear: if accessible without authorization, it gets blocked. Source: ANJ.

TL;DR
- France’s ANJ orders ISP block on Polymarket
- Classified as illegal gambling with KYC and manipulation concerns
- France-only action, not an EU-wide ban
Sources: ANJ blocking order.