France Orders ISPs to Block Polymarket Ahead of World Cup Final Worth $4 Billion

According to France's gambling regulator Autorité nationale des jeux (ANJ), the agency ordered internet service providers to block Polymarket on July 16, citing the platform's promotion of illegal gambling offerings. The regulator said the platform could expose users to significant losses and that some wagers may be manipulated.

The timing is notable as Sunday's World Cup final between Spain and Argentina will settle Polymarket's World Cup Winner market, the largest single market in the platform's history at more than $4 billion in volume. This escalates restrictions from November 2024, when Polymarket had already cut trading access for French users, though the platform remained viewable.