France’s National Gambling Authority has defended its move to block Polymarket, claiming the prediction platform still operates as an unauthorized gambling service and poses risks related to user losses, identity verification, and possible market manipulation.

Polymarket plans to challenge the nationwide website restriction, arguing that the decision unfairly limits public access to its prediction markets even though trading activity from France has been disabled since November 2024.

The ANJ instructed internet service providers to restrict access to Polymarket last week, citing concerns that the platform allows users to engage with potentially risky markets and offers contracts that could be influenced by manipulation.

Polymarket said it will fight the order through the French legal system, describing the website-wide block as excessive because it also impacts users who visit the platform only to view information and probability forecasts.

The company said it was surprised by the regulator’s decision, arguing that many visitors use Polymarket as a source of insight into future events rather than as a platform for trading. According to Polymarket, prediction markets help aggregate information and reveal collective expectations about possible outcomes.

The dispute centers largely on how Polymarket’s contracts should be regulated. The company describes its blockchain-based contracts as user-to-user financial instruments, with market prices determined by participant activity rather than fixed odds.

Polymarket also stressed that it does not operate like a traditional betting company, noting that it does not take the opposing side of customer positions or profit from specific market outcomes.

French regulators, however, argue that the platform remained accessible after trading restrictions were introduced and continued promoting an unlicensed gambling offering.

The ANJ also raised concerns about Polymarket’s identity verification processes and highlighted alleged manipulation risks involving certain prediction markets, including weather-related contracts.

France is the latest country to impose restrictions on Polymarket. Ukraine introduced an internet provider-level block in January, Argentina followed with similar action in March, and Spain restricted access to Polymarket and Kalshi in May.

The French action expands beyond the trading restrictions already in place. Although Polymarket had prevented French users from participating in markets since November 2024, regulators ordered a complete website block because users could still access live probabilities and market information.

Other nations, including Brazil, India, Indonesia, and Romania, have also limited access to Polymarket or treated the platform as an unauthorized gambling service. In Ukraine, officials have said there is currently no legal framework that permits the platform to operate.

Polymarket has been asked whether it intends to challenge restrictions outside France, but the company had not responded at the time of publication.