Another country, blocked Polymarkets

[moneystery]

Even though they block Polymarket, users can still access it using a VPN, so their efforts aren't very effective in preventing people from continuing to gamble on the site.
However, given current market trends, it's possible that many countries will ban Polymarket or similar platforms from being accessible, either because it violates their gambling regulations or because gambling is prohibited.

[lombok]

Even though they block Polymarket, users can still access it using a VPN, so their efforts aren't very effective in preventing people from continuing to gamble on the site.
However, given current market trends, it's possible that many countries will ban Polymarket or similar platforms from being accessible, either because it violates their gambling regulations or because gambling is prohibited.

Indeed, the introduction of digital access control usually becomes unsuccessful because of the easy access to privated network technology. The failure of governments to control the outflow of across border operations evidences a critical clash between local laws and realities of operating the internet. The threat of ban imposed on the market by many countries makes market participants always ready to the changes in the legal environment in the countries.

[rdluffy]

But several were blocked at once, not only Polymarket
You can only access them with a VPN right now

The Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has threatened legal action against any VPN service provider that gives people access to prohibited gambling platforms and prediction markets. Defaulters of this directive could face imprisonment and a fine.  

Are you from India?
Do you know if anyone has ever been punished for this reason?

I ask because in Brazil there was a major block on X, and supposedly any user who tried to bypass it via VPN would be fined a very high amount, I think it was the equivalent of  USD $10,000 a day
However, no one was ever fined that way, and many people used VPNs without any problems,  it’s not that easy to detect a user using a VPN

[Porfirii]

Due to the enormous size of India's population, this can be a hard blow, although I do not think it will be definitive for the development of the prediction market(s). They will lose a potential customer base, no doubt, but it's so easy to circumvent the restrictions by those users really interested in prediction markets, that even if the block is a brake on their adoption, I don't think it is a huge problem.

Who know, perhaps because of how controversial these markets are, a brake of this style is even positive.

[SFR10]

The Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has threatened legal action against any VPN service provider that gives people access to prohibited gambling platforms and prediction markets. Defaulters of this directive could face imprisonment and a fine.  

I think this could only work against intermediaries that create VPN connections or local VPN service providers ^{[if there are any]}, so I highly doubt it'd be that effective.
^{- BTW, AFAIK, most prediction markets already prohibit using VPNs on their platforms (e.g., Polymarket and I believe the same thing applies to Kalshi as well).}

[dansus021]

What could I say haha but I do see polymarket, Kalshi, Limitless is just gambling with the style. I mean if we take a look the sport gambling we already know thing about what player, what is the score and etc. Prediction market is just made that thing more flexible and in the future everyone could make their own prediction style. Basically there is no limit with the prediction market.

Another country, blocked Polymarkets. Well some countries didnt allow gamble at all, so its no different. Even tho there is a country that legalized gamble I do believe that they need some license to operate on and maybe some taxes for the gov.

[Dunamisx]

Once this is all about poly market, I will also join in support, as long as this is not going to affect the government stand on gambling from this context, as I also expect daddy understand the difference between the two and why prediction market should not be allowed to exist in such a manner that mislead many gamblers from having the right access to enjoying their leisure time it can bring instead of prediction market.

[Agbe]

India cracks down on prediction markets: Polymarket goes dark, Kalshi could be next
https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/05/22/india-cracks-down-on-prediction-markets-polymarket-goes-dark-kalshi-could-be-next
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has reportedly already issued a blocking order for Polymarket and is preparing a similar order for U.S.-regulated rival Kalshi. Indian authorities classify prediction markets as prohibited online money gaming.

Almost all countries are seeing prediction markets as gambling sites. In the United States, many states have sused few prediction markets like Kalshi which we know about.

Prediction market are gambling sites and the different with other casinos are the events. Prediction market has no casino games but real time events and happening. They use every event as prediction and many countries doe not like that because there are some things that are secretive and once prediction market display them in the internet, it has displayed the secret of the country. Mostly the security of a country and some other event that government does not want to display in the public.

[MAAManda]

Almost all countries are seeing prediction markets as gambling sites. In the United States, many states have sused few prediction markets like Kalshi which we know about.

Among the countries that have blocked Polymarket, today, our country is included in that list, officially our ministry blocked access to Polymarket. Examined from any angle, Polymarket is still gambling, because gambling is illegal in our country, it immediately leads to the conclusion that Polymarket is prohibited even before the official statement from our ministry.

[HustleZ]

[…]

Prediction/gambling sites like polymarket and other are too insensitive. You may see predictions on very sensitive topics which isnt ethical and morally correct. Not everything should be a way to earn profit because money is not everything. Here people sommonly predict many bombings,killing and even deaths of certain political leaders which makes it clear why a country like india banned polymarket. Many insider bets/predictions just for the sake of money ruin many military and political strategies and there are alot of negative points other than that. So its not surprising that it got banned.

[shinratensei_]

It should be like that. As i know India has around 450m of its population involved in any of online money activities (include gamble). Around 8% of these populations were addicted, and they have to do something to solve it.
Since Poly was also operating illegally in india. So its' normal when they banned it to follow the same decision have done by other countries.

We can put respect how it's one of their effort to solve their irresnponsible gambling problem. I think if other prediction sites will have the same fate as Poly when they decide to enter india.
So in the end prediction market is involving the real money to play. It has no different like a gambling site.

[AHOYBRAUSE]

I think it’s a good thing that countries takes this measures. I mean betting on sports is one thing but betting on things that can easily be influenced, manipulated or where several people can have insider knowledge is just too dangerous. Unless there is a serious change of what kind of things can be bet on I believe more countries will follow this action.

[Johnlomape]

India cracks down on prediction markets: Polymarket goes dark, Kalshi could be next
https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/05/22/india-cracks-down-on-prediction-markets-polymarket-goes-dark-kalshi-could-be-next
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has reportedly already issued a blocking order for Polymarket and is preparing a similar order for U.S.-regulated rival Kalshi. Indian authorities classify prediction markets as prohibited online money gaming.

Almost all countries are seeing prediction markets as gambling sites. In the United States, many states have sused few prediction markets like Kalshi which we know about.

Something must be wrong with the polymarket prediction market that is making so many countries to ban them from operating in their country. We don't know what must be wrong with the polymarket prediction platform to fail to work with the government of individual countries that they have plenty users. The restriction from India is going to affect them because they have huge number of players from there. The United States has been supporting the existence of the polymarket which we don't know why but their must be political support for the platform.

[Floxynice]

India cracks down on prediction markets: Polymarket goes dark, Kalshi could be next
https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/05/22/india-cracks-down-on-prediction-markets-polymarket-goes-dark-kalshi-could-be-next
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has reportedly already issued a blocking order for Polymarket and is preparing a similar order for U.S.-regulated rival Kalshi. Indian authorities classify prediction markets as prohibited online money gaming.

Almost all countries are seeing prediction markets as gambling sites. In the United States, many states have sused few prediction markets like Kalshi which we know about.

I have never been a fan of Polymarket in the first place. There has been lots of news about information breaches linked to Polymarket prediction sites. It feels like people just turned greedy overnight and are willing to sell out private and confidential information for some rewards, while claiming that they are all just predictions. Governments have really realised this menace and are trying to control it before things go bad.

I feel nothing when governments ban or restrict Polymarket prediction sites. At least this will bring some level of sanity, so people will realise how important confidentiality is to any individual or organisation.

[Fiatless]

For countries that don't like gambling and don't support it in the first place, banning prediction markets won't look surprising to me, but for others, I can easily say the type of events that they deploy and make available for betting on in the market contributes highly to how they are being treated, and while there is a push for banning it, especially with the rumors of insider getting involved.

Since some of the platforms are decentralized, it becomes difficult to regulate them. These countries that are banning prediction markets want to regulate their activities. Predictions on events that cause suffering and pain to people are an area I don't like in these prediction markets. Another thing I don't like about their services is the suspicious insider trading that is going on.

[Hispo]

I think it’s a good thing that countries takes this measures. I mean betting on sports is one thing but betting on things that can easily be influenced, manipulated or where several people can have insider knowledge is just too dangerous. Unless there is a serious change of what kind of things can be bet on I believe more countries will follow this action.

More countries within the developing world will certainly take similar actions to protect their people from market manipulation. One just need to take a look of many of these countries which are restricting these services have more to lose than wining from having their gambling population to partake in markets which could be used to impoverishing those who are already within the working call population.

Basically, India and Brazil see Polymarket and similar services as money blackholes. Because the majority of their local bettors get their stablecoins lost to foreigners who hold privileged information. The money the government of india or Brazil can get their slice of the pay in the form of taxes from their own citizens, then I am sure it would become easier for them to accept their citizens engage in bets in polymarket.

At least, with classic sport betting those government are entitled to take a percentage of one's winning in the form of taxes, so it is kind of convenient for them allow those sport markets to exist within their territories.

[Joy_learns_crypto]

India cracks down on prediction markets: Polymarket goes dark, Kalshi could be next
https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/05/22/india-cracks-down-on-prediction-markets-polymarket-goes-dark-kalshi-could-be-next
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has reportedly already issued a blocking order for Polymarket and is preparing a similar order for U.S.-regulated rival Kalshi. Indian authorities classify prediction markets as prohibited online money gaming.

Almost all countries are seeing prediction markets as gambling sites. In the United States, many states have sused few prediction markets like Kalshi which we know about.

I don’t see any why they a placing a ban on it, for me I think polymarket are the one being exploited here on several occasions with many pending cases of manipulation for example people taking hair dryers and other appliances to the weather station to manipulate the weather forecast to what they have predicted or the military person that predicted the arrest of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro or even many undocumented or cases of manipulations.

[Webutxo]

India cracks down on prediction markets: Polymarket goes dark, Kalshi could be next
https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/05/22/india-cracks-down-on-prediction-markets-polymarket-goes-dark-kalshi-could-be-next
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has reportedly already issued a blocking order for Polymarket and is preparing a similar order for U.S.-regulated rival Kalshi. Indian authorities classify prediction markets as prohibited online money gaming.

Almost all countries are seeing prediction markets as gambling sites. In the United States, many states have sused few prediction markets like Kalshi which we know about.

I like prediction market but I don't like the way we all hustle for money because of gambling. Some gamblers make these Polymarket to look into countries that has political chaos, some countries that are internally and externally into war and then bet on the outcome. They are fueling bad things that is going on the country and that is why some countries are beginning to banned them, they are causing more harm than good to countries that are been affected.

There is pandemic of new prediction and if it's not regulated, it will affect many companies. Some casino now have crypto prediction and other predictions you can make. It will be proper for prediction that are fun, I don't mind crypto prediction or anything related but when prediction becomes something that is going to affect humans or it has to do with human live, I will strongly advice for it to be abolished, there are other ways to make money.

[Akbarkoe]

Indonesia also blocked Polymarket, because previously they considered that Polymarket was a prediction market in general but after review, KOMDIGI gave a definite ban on Polymarket in Indonesia.
This is only natural because in my country gambling is strictly prohibited so any gambling element related to digital space is definitely prohibited.

https://www.cnnindonesia.com/teknologi/20260522200357-192-1361414/komdigi-blokir-polymarket-situs-judol-berkedok-prediction-market

[Bitcoin Smith]

India cracks down on prediction markets: Polymarket goes dark, Kalshi could be next
https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/05/22/india-cracks-down-on-prediction-markets-polymarket-goes-dark-kalshi-could-be-next
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has reportedly already issued a blocking order for Polymarket and is preparing a similar order for U.S.-regulated rival Kalshi. Indian authorities classify prediction markets as prohibited online money gaming.

Almost all countries are seeing prediction markets as gambling sites. In the United States, many states have sused few prediction markets like Kalshi which we know about.

If I am not wrong, it is blocked since the beginning of this year, the government banned all kind of online gambling that even wiped the billion-dollar market in fantasy sports who is the official sponsor for Team India in cricket at that time. The government still made the decision, and there is no changes in it.

Polymarket is a gambling site as well, so it is blocked by ISPs.