Polimarket at the centre of French investigation into the Ballon d'Or

French police have launched an investigation into an alleged insider trading case linked to the latest edition of the Ballon d'Or, won by English striker Harry Kane.

Suspicious bets

At the heart of the investigation are bets that would have correctly predicted the exact order of the top five finishers in the men's ranking. According to The Athletic, the bets were placed on the Polymarket platform by twelve different accounts, which would have guessed not only the winner but the entire order of the top five: Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Rodri and Lionel Messi.

Reactions and regulatory context

Sources have asked to remain anonymous because they are not authorized to comment publicly on an ongoing investigation. Investigators found suspicious not only the accuracy of the predictions but also the way the bets were handled across multiple accounts. The figures for the operation were verified by The Athletic: a total of €250 000 was wagered, with winnings close to €200 000.

The first report came from a French media outlet. France Football, the award organizer, had received a report about anomalies in the bets even before the results were announced. After the ranking was published, the organization launched internal checks and contacted the SCCJ, the French police department that deals with gambling.

A Ballon d'Or spokesperson reiterated that the integrity of the award is an absolute priority for France Football and that the winner is selected through an independent vote. The same spokesperson said that authorities are proceeding with a complaint and that, as long as the investigations are ongoing, no further details can be provided. The SCCJ and Polymarket have been contacted for comment.

This is not the first time that platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi have been at the center of discussions over weak regulatory oversight. The main issue concerns the possibility that users exploit information that is not yet public to make profits. In the United States, several states have already launched legal actions against the involvement of these platforms in sports betting. The disputes could reach the U.S. Supreme Court.