Polymarket sues French regulator over site block

The cryptocurrency-based prediction market Polymarket has announced it will challenge a French regulator's order to block its website in the country's courts. The legal action follows a July 16 directive from France's National Gambling Authority (ANJ) requiring internet service providers to restrict access to the platform.

Polymarket expressed disappointment with what it called a sudden and unilateral decision, arguing it had already prohibited users in France from trading on its platform since November 2024. The company said it had maintained a view-only version of its site for French visitors to access event probability data, and that the block therefore unfairly targets people seeking information rather than placing wagers.

The ANJ defended its action, stating that Polymarket was promoting an illegal gambling and betting offering. The regulator cited data showing the site received 578,751 visits from 205,057 unique users in France during June. It argued that displaying live odds, even in a view-only mode, constitutes advertising for an unauthorized gambling service. The ANJ also warned that users could face significant potential losses and that certain contracts, particularly...