France Blocks Polymarket Ahead of World Cup 3rd Place Match

France’s gambling regulator has ordered internet providers to block access to Polymarket. The order comes days before Les Bleus face England in the FIFA World Cup 2026 bronze medal match.

The National Gambling Authority, known as the ANJ, has labeled the platform an illegal betting operation. It also flagged manipulation risks just as the prediction interest around the fixture builds.

France’s Regulator Moves to Cut Off Access

The ANJ’s president instructed French internet providers to block Polymarket entirely, calling the platform’s offering illegal. The regulator said Polymarket attracts a particularly large audience while promoting an illegal gambling and betting offering.

The agency also flagged manipulation risks tied to some Polymarket wagers. That adds pressure on a platform facing scrutiny across Europe’s Polymarket bans. The Netherlands already threatened steep fines earlier this year.

A Pattern Stretching Well Beyond France

France now joins a lengthening list of regulators pushing back. Kentucky’s attorney general filed a prediction market lawsuit against Polymarket and Kalshi this year. Australia tightened gambling ad restrictions around live sports broadcasts.

Polymarket, meanwhile, has kept courting friendlier jurisdictions. The company is reportedly pursuing a Japan approval push, targeting Tokyo by 2030.

The split shows a clash between wary regulators and Polymarket. Regulators worry about consumer harm. Polymarket insists its contracts serve legitimate price discovery, not gambling.

Bettors Still Favor Les Bleus

None of that scrutiny has cooled interest in today’s third-place playoff. That mirrors a broader surge in World Cup prediction markets throughout the tournament. Polymarket’s live market prices France at 67 cents to beat England. That implies roughly a 67% chance for Les Bleus.

The French ban does not reach bettors abroad. But it signals regulators are no longer willing to wait for prediction markets to police themselves. Whether Polymarket adapts its French offering or simply walks away remains an open question heading into kickoff.