France said Friday it was blocking access to the online prediction market Polymarket, as punters continued to make bets despite a ban already in place. The national gaming authority ANJ said Friday that Polymarket's webpage would be blocked on French territory, which adds to a November 2024 ban on financial transactions to the site. Polymarket is one of a number of online prediction markets which allow people to bet on the outcome of future events. Read moreBetting on catastrophe: the dizzying rise of prediction markets The ANJ said the site's continued availability – where betting odds on different events are updated in real time – constituted advertising. "Advertising, by any means whatsoever, in favour of an unauthorised betting or gambling site is a criminal offence," the ANJ said, and noted the fines could reach €100,000 ($114,000). The regulator said that despite the ban on transactions from French accounts, visits from French internet addresses to Polymarket's site have been rising, hitting 578,751 last month. The betting markets have caused a number of problems.
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