Polymarket to counter French National Gaming Authority's nationwide website block with legal action

On July 22, 2026, the decentralized prediction market platform Polymarket officially announced legal action against the French government's nationwide website block. This announcement is a strong counter-response coming just days after French regulatory authorities classified Polymarket as an unauthorized gambling service and blocked access to it. Polymarket intends to contest the unfairness of this decision through the French legal system.

We express deep regret over the French National Gaming Authority's (ANJ) unilateral decision to block our website, and we plan to challenge this decision through legal proceedings in France.

Polymarket emphasized its disappointment, noting that the blocking measure was carried out suddenly without prior notice. A platform representative argued that their model is based on technology distinct from traditional gambling and added that they would mobilize all legal means to restore access for French users.

ANJ's Regulatory Rationale and Background of the Block

The French National Gaming Authority (ANJ) determined that Polymarket was providing unauthorized gambling and betting services within France. The ANJ cited the high risk of significant losses for users, insufficient Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures, and the potential for market manipulation as the primary grounds for the block. Consequently, on July 20, the ANJ ordered internet service providers (ISPs) in France to completely block access to the Polymarket domain.

• ANJ's main arguments: Lack of identity verification procedures and insufficient protection for minors
• ANJ's main arguments: Violation of gambling laws through the provision of unauthorized betting services
• Polymarket's response: Emphasis on its nature as a decentralized protocol and protest against unilateral blocking
• Polymarket's response: Filing a lawsuit in French court to cancel the administrative action

This situation began on Friday, July 17, 2026, when the ANJ first announced its intention to block Polymarket. Subsequently, the forced blocking via ISPs was executed on Monday, July 20, and the conflict reached its peak two days later on Wednesday, July 22, when Polymarket confirmed its official legal response strategy. The timeline below summarizes the tense process from the ANJ's initial announcement to Polymarket's declaration of legal action.

This measure is particularly noteworthy as it occurred after July 1, 2026, when the European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation came into full effect. While MiCA provides unified standards for the issuance and provision of crypto-asset services, prediction markets remain heavily influenced by the strict national gambling laws of individual member states such as France, Belgium, and Italy. Regulatory experts analyze that even under the MiCA regime, prediction markets remain in a regulatory blind spot or within the exclusive jurisdiction of each country.

Impact on the Market and Future Outlook

Polymarket's legal challenge is expected to be an important milestone for other decentralized platforms in Europe. If France's current measure is successfully upheld, it is highly likely that other EEA (European Economic Area) countries will also expand similar blocking measures through cooperation with the ANJ. This could have a significant chilling effect on Web3 projects operating in the European market.

The first hearing to be held in a French court is expected to be a watershed moment that will determine not only the fate of Polymarket but also the legal status of prediction markets. The global crypto-asset industry is paying close attention to whether the ANJ will coordinate with other European regulatory agencies to expand the scope of the blockade, or whether Polymarket will secure a foothold for service resumption through a legal victory.

In conclusion, this dispute illustrates the inevitable clash between decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols and traditional national regulatory frameworks. In a situation where the pace of technological innovation outstrips changes in legal frameworks, the French court's ruling will serve as an important precedent for defining the permissible scope of crypto-asset services in Europe in the future.