French regulator National Autorité des Jeux (ANJ) has regionally blocked Polymarket.com, a cryptocurrency-focused predictive betting platform that was illegally offering online games in the country.
ANJ monitored Polymarket.com, operated by Web3 developer Adventure One QSS, throughout November. It said the type of gambling offered by the website “may” violate French law.
The service also included online games of chance, commonly known as slots, which are currently not legal in France.
In late November, ANJ approached Adventure One QSS, which holds a license in Panama, about this matter. It was agreed that operators would introduce a geo-blocking system to prevent access from players within French territory.
Incidentally, this incident first came to light about a month ago when Bloomberg reported that ANJ might file a lawsuit against Polymarket.com. Other reports said the geolocation block went into effect on November 21st.
The regulator said players affected by this decision should contact Adventure One QSS for more information.
Polymarket faces similar problems in the United States, where it is not legally allowed to operate. The company failed to register with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission in 2022 and paid a $1.4 million fine to the commission. Trading was suspended at the time.
Illegal games of chance can lead to prison sentences
Providing illegal games is considered a criminal offense in France and can lead to prison sentences. In this case, he could be sentenced to three years in prison and a fine of 90,000 euros (£74,557/$94,609). However, if the crime is committed by an organized group, this increases to 7 years' imprisonment and a fine of 200,000 euros.
To date, ANJ has blocked over 944 URLs for violating French gambling laws. Its blacklist is frequently updated and available on its website.
“In general, ANJ would like to warn people who play on illegal sites, as they are exposed to particularly serious risks,” ANJ said. “These include non-payment of winnings, payment method fraud, identity theft, and installation of malicious computer programs.
“If you have any doubts about the legality of a gambling website, please refer to the list of sites approved by ANJ.”
Could we see legal online slots in France next year?
The possible legalization of online slots in France has been a topic of discussion for some time. In October, the French government gave its strongest indication yet that it could go ahead with such a plan.
The government has submitted an amendment to the 2025 budget to legalize online casino games. Budget Minister Laurent Saint-Martin subsequently confirmed that a six-month consultation on the issue would be held next year.
This process will take time, so it is unlikely that new legislation will be passed before 2025. However, if the talks yield a positive result, a bill establishing a legal framework could be passed in 2026.
