France has ordered internet service providers to block access to Polymarket, marking the latest escalation in a global regulatory crackdown on the prediction market platform. The country’s gambling regulator, Autorité nationale des jeux (ANJ), declared prediction websites illegal gambling and warned that advertising unauthorized gambling sites carries fines up to 100,000 euros. Polymarket, which has seen billions in trading volume over the past two years, now faces geoblocking in 36 regions including Singapore, Poland, Portugal, Hungary, Ukraine, Brazil, and Indonesia.
Separately, European regulators added 14 crypto companies to the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework register, bringing the total licensed crypto-asset service providers to 294. The European Securities and Markets Authority’s second post-deadline update signals a slower licensing pace after an initial surge. New entrants include Ripple Payments Europe, Portugal-based Bison Bank, and Croatia’s state-owned Hrvatska poštanska banka. No changes were reported for electronic money tokens or asset-referenced tokens registers.
Meanwhile, Network School founder Balaji Srinivasan is seeking a memorandum of understanding with Malaysia after authorities probed his Forest City tech community over allegations it hosted Israeli citizens using second passports. Malaysia’s Home Affairs Ministry investigated following claims of immigration law violations, though initial checks found all 266 foreigners held valid documents. Srinivasan said the agreement would provide legal certainty to continue investing in Malaysia; without it, the community could move its capital elsewhere. He appealed directly to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for a document confirming “we’re personally welcome.”
These developments highlight the growing tension between crypto innovation and regulatory frameworks worldwide, as governments grapple with how to classify and control emerging financial technologies, according to Cointelegraph.
