It's not a fucking market, it's a gambling site and the worst type of it. Its gambling on if a human being will die, if somebody will suffer, if wars will be won or lost

This website is the absolute anus of the internet, only shit comes out of it, aside from the eventual dick head coming in

I think it's a good step while the rest of the world seems to just let it and other "prediction sites" operate. Gambling itself should be at least heavily regulated because of a variety of reasons, but this is even worse because gambling is the best possible use. The worst cases being things like betting a wildfire will start on a specific day and then... starting a wildfire. That's closer to a website hiring hitmen, something more dark web than new tech.

Now is it a slippery slope? Maybe, especially since it's not a direct way to stop the problem. Dark web services are there because they are illegal, they aren't just blocked by an ISP. Laws need to clarify how much of this is gambling (which is legal in France and subject to rules) and how much of this is dangerous activity. Legally clarifying these rules is essential to a long term solution, but again I think it's ok to take a quick first step while that process plays out.

I was going to say it shouldn't matter whether they block the website because Polymarket is largely decentralized and runs on smart contracts, and so should be accessible through a third party frontend even if the main site is blocked, but it seems that they did it wrong and set things up so that all user wallets must be explicitly approved by the company to use it and so it has no properties of permissionlessness, if I am reading this right:

/// @notice Adds a new operator
/// Can only be called by a current admin
/// @param _operator - The new operator
function addOperator(address _operator) external onlyAdmin {
    require(!operators[_operator], AlreadyOperator());
    operators[_operator] = true;
    emit NewOperator(_operator, msg.sender);
}

With 'blocking' they likely mean at DNS level, unless France invested in a lot of DPI censorship infrastructure.

Blocking is harsh, but honestly there seem to be limited different actions that can be taken, but will not really have a great impact. These prediction markets sell themselves as putting your money where your mouth is, which sounds great on paper but without regulation opens up for a select few to do «inside trading».

Most users are still primarily using it for sports betting which is very heavily regulated. For good reason. Regulating these in the same way would be the right action but, I guess we could see if this actually will have an impact. I’m sceptical.

Anyone have the odds on how long it will take for this to be circumvented?

While well-meaning this is a terrible idea and not how the Internet should work. Block their payments, make it illegal to operate, but don't start letting any government decide who's allowed on the Internet.

I hate how they're supporting the fiction that this isn't gambling by calling it a "prediction site". It's gambling, always has been.

Eh, it's probably more effective to ban payment services from performing transactions. Doesn't stop crypto currencies but it would still be 99% effective.

Based, but imo flawed - its setting yet another precedent that governments can block access to sites they deem "incorrect". Take away their ability to make a profit, cut off their payment systems, but dont you dare try to regulate who is allowed on the internet

Some people seems to think that blocking a site sets a bad precedent. It's too late for that, France routinely block illegal download sites. That's the reason openDNS stopped operating in france.

As is should be.

no I actually think this is a good thing considering polymarket is a source of disinformation in itself.

Polymarket is an unregulated gambling site and actively harmful. I don't think this should be considered a "decline into censorship".

This is a highly manipulated gambling site where you can bet on which dates countries bomb each other. imho good thing

I mean, is there anyone who thinks Polymarket should exist in the first place?

Does Polymarket exist to criticize a government or its policies? Does it blow the whistle on a the practices of religion or corporation? Is it an environmental or consumer product watchdog?

Is it really censorship if it’s whole purpose is to siphon away the one resource necessary to survive in the society we’ve created though addiction and manipulation?

I guess what I’m saying is, there are certain amounts of censorship I’m willing to tolerate. Fuck Polymarket and online gambling, it should all have stayed illegal.

Not censorship. Polymarket and Kalshi primarily benefit those with insider information, not the vast majority of the world.

the vpn lobby at it again

We like things we can block. We are smart.