Betting Site Polymarket Blocked in France by National Gaming Authority

France's National Gaming Authority (ANJ) has announced the blocking of access to the betting site Polymarket from French territory. The ANJ considers the site's homepage, which displays odds on various events in real-time, to be akin to advertising for an unauthorized activity within the country. This action tightens the regulatory grip on Polymarket, a platform used for wagering on current events, ranging from celebrity deaths to sports outcomes.

Polymarket has drawn the ANJ's displeasure on several occasions in recent months. In late 2024, the authority launched an investigation following a substantial payout of $48 million to a French trader who had bet on Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election. More recently, in April, Météo France filed a complaint with the gendarmerie after discovering physical anomalies on their instruments and analyzing sensor data. This followed a bet placed on a dramatic rise in Paris temperatures on the same day the sensors malfunctioned, a bet that yielded the player $14,000.

The ANJ's decision to block Polymarket underscores its stance against platforms offering bets on news and current affairs, which are not licensed in France. The authority's communication highlighted the dynamic display of odds as the primary reason for the block, deeming it promotional material for an unlicensed service. While the site remained accessible at the time of reporting, the ANJ's directive signifies a firm regulatory position against such operations within French borders.