France Orders ISPs to Block Access to Polymarket (engadget.com) 19
France's regulatory authority for licensed gambling/betting games "announced this week that it ordered ISPs to block access to Polymarket," reports Engadget. Anyone caught advertising an unauthorized betting site "could be fined up to 100,000 euros, or around $114,000." (The article notes this follows a previous regulatory action from November placing a geoblock on financial transactions from French residents on Polymarket's site.)
In May Spain blocked access to Polymarket and Kalshi while it launched a gambling license investigation.
In May Spain blocked access to Polymarket and Kalshi while it launched a gambling license investigation.
Re:No Free Speech in France (Score:4, Funny)
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
Then who decides? The government? Where I am that means a Trump government. Do you still agree? Don't worry, your country could be next.
Re:No Free Speech in France (Score:5, Insightful)
Gambling is not "free speech".
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, because curtailing gambling is unheard of in the US. Just ask the 8 states where online casinos are legal.
Re: No Free Speech in France (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
Gambling Is A Tax On Stupidity. (Score:1, Interesting)
Looks like a good resource for France or USA.
Re: (Score:1)
It's called parenting and teaching your children life skills.
Many people don't seem to do that, which makes me wonder why they had the kids if their idea of parenting is parking the kid in front of the TV (or today, handing the kid a tablet).
Re: (Score:2)
Gambling Is A Tax On Stupidity. Looks like a good resource for France or USA.
Specifically, unlicensed online gambling is estimated to cause a revenue shortfall of 1.2 G€/a for the French treasury. (Source: the report linked in my other post.)
And why not vpns? (Score:2)
What are they going to do about it? You also need to fine users if you want it to stop
Re:And why not vpns? (Score:4, Interesting)
Nothing is done about VPNs. The approach in France (and Europe) is generally to regulate businesses rather than sanction the individuals who use the services.
There are calls for stricter enforcement, meaning blocking social media advertisements and payment processors. Nobody's suggesting to impose fines on individual, in particular given the injustice that most gamblers are unable to know which websites are legal.
An estimated 5 million French residents use unlicensed online gambling websites. Sources: 1) (in English) https://www.igamingtoday.com/f... [igamingtoday.com] 2) the full Nov. 2025 study, at request of the online gambling websites association, and executed by PwC, on which the previous news item is based: (in French) https://afjel.fr/2025/11/05/ba... [afjel.fr]
It won't be long (Score:2)
Until France, England, or another 'european' country tries to outlaw VPNs.
Russia, already I know.
DNS to 9.9.9.9 (Score:3)
...and off you go, it blocks even ads on your iPhone.
It's dangerous (Score:1)
They are betting on world events with large amounts of money on the line. When there are large amounts of money on the line, they like insurance. Hire teams to hedge their bets and ensure those world events happen.
It's the economy of the corrupt out in the open.
Unregulated gambling is well-known criminal hub. (Score:2)
Unregulated gambling is a long-established haven for criminal enterprise.
Money laundering is the most likely, and historically it is trivially easy when they're unregulated. Criminal enterprises, anything from scam call centers to major white-collar crimes, they don't care if they lose a high percent, as long as the money is laundered in the end. Wash a bunch of money betting on both sides of the bet, they'll lose half but still the money comes out clean.
Insider trading is hard to catch, and we're seein
I have a trade offer (Score:2)