Prediction markets legality as gambling or derivative trading platforms, & rules

[Wakate]

Czech Republic tells ISPs to block Polymarket after gambling blacklisting

The Czech Finance Ministry added Polymarket to its blacklist of unauthorized online gambling websites, requiring internet providers to block access within 15 days.

Copied from https://cointelegraph.com/news/czech-republic-adds-polymarket-to-unauthorized-gambling-blacklist

You can read it in details there.

It is quite unfortunate how so many countries have been banning and blocking the polymarket due to their unauthorized gambling access giving to their citizens. This is morally wrong for a company to access the space of a country without getting any form of warrant of operation. If more countries continue to block the Polymarket, they will be losing real users gradually.

[acroman08]

Czech Republic tells ISPs to block Polymarket after gambling blacklisting

The Czech Finance Ministry added Polymarket to its blacklist of unauthorized online gambling websites, requiring internet providers to block access within 15 days.

Copied from https://cointelegraph.com/news/czech-republic-adds-polymarket-to-unauthorized-gambling-blacklist

You can read it in details there.

Another European country closes its doors to Polymarket.

I wonder if they'll file an appeal here too? I mean, they filed an appeal against the blocking of their platform in other countries, so it wouldn't be surprising if they file an appeal against the blocking of their platform in Czech Republic. It also wouldn't be surprising if the Czech government rejects Polymarket's appeal.

[gracreavix]

Prediction market should be regulated just as other gambling platforms are regulated. Since platforms like polymarket are decentralised, I don't really see the effects of such bans on them. I think government are more concerned that's why so many countries are banning. Seems it poses somewhat of a treat to their country and citizens. But prediction markets are switching to accepting Bitcoin. So I don't see such bans taken effect properly.

[Dogedegen]

It is quite unfortunate how so many countries have been banning and blocking the polymarket due to their unauthorized gambling access giving to their citizens. This is morally wrong for a company to access the space of a country without getting any form of warrant of operation. If more countries continue to block the Polymarket, they will be losing real users gradually.

We have been over this several times, just because something has elements of gambling and gambling mechanisms that does not mean you should ban it under existing laws. If it does mean that as some users want it, then most video games have to be banned as well. Anything that has loot boxes or anything with random generations and rewards should go as well. Even if you are using in game currency, it usually has a market value in real fiat if the game is popular enough so it is just gambling through a proxy. So instead of bias we should apply these things and get rid of gambling elements from many things.

Another European country closes its doors to Polymarket.

I wonder if they'll file an appeal here too? I mean, they filed an appeal against the blocking of their platform in other countries, so it wouldn't be surprising if they file an appeal against the blocking of their platform in Czech Republic. It also wouldn't be surprising if the Czech government rejects Polymarket's appeal.

Only if it makes sense according to the laws there, you need to remember that filling appeal takes time and resources. They won't just file appeal in any market for no reason at all. So either it will be because it makes sense because of the profit that they are losing in a market or because it makes sense according to the laws, like in the case of the US. We will see how they will proceed in this country.

[Fortify]

There have been more news that we have been reading about prediction markets like Polymarket and Kashi. News that are about their ban and legalities. It will be good if we discuss this on a single thread instead and which is the purpose of this topic.

Some countries are reviewing if prediction market should be banned or not.
One of the countries is:
South Korea

Know that some of these countries like Indonesia and South Korea banned gambling. Prediction market operators see prediction markets as platforms where derivatives are traded, but some countries see them as gambling sites.

Any country that you know that I have not mentioned that banned prediction markets, you can post about it.

Any news we see about the legality of prediction markets as gambling sites or not, we can post about it on this thread.

In reality you can call these so-called prediction markets "derivatives" markets and they already existed for decades, somebody has just come along and given it a shiny new name with the idea that it would fool a few people including regulators. That's not how it usually goes though, they might skim under the radar for a short time but once they start making substantial money that's when the regulators recognize the problem. Regulators are traditionally quite slow to react to new developments, even if it does seem quite obvious what is going on. So there will be increased push back on these sites, which effectively allow bets on anything and everything, which has traditionally been enforced by either gambling or financial regulations. It's like Uber, just stupider, and it's going to pay a lot of fines.

[EluguHcman]

Any news we see about the legality of prediction markets as gambling sites or not, we can post about it on this thread.

This is a nice ideal because it would control users from not repeating on a particular topic over multiple threads and gives rooms for spamming.
Let there also be need of the moderator or the staffs to pin this your thread else, it won't be visible for every users of the gambling sections and creating similar threads while others already exist will persist.

Of course this will be a matter of common discussions over online gambling because as the more users are getting trapped of money laundering, so sanctions and reviewing policies for sanctions, as a lot of casinos and countries might be hitting sanctions from the governments placing them on bans. We have also heard cases of the interpretation about prediction market and the polymarket of them getting banned over violations of policies.

So it is not bad considering a recommended thread for such discussions.

[Alphakilo]

Any news we see about the legality of prediction markets as gambling sites or not, we can post about it on this thread.

This is a nice ideal because it would control users from not repeating on a particular topic over multiple threads and gives rooms for spamming.
Let there also be need of the moderator or the staffs to pin this your thread else, it won't be visible for every users of the gambling sections and creating similar threads while others already exist will persist.

Of course this will be a matter of common discussions over online gambling because as the more users are getting trapped of money laundering, so sanctions and reviewing policies for sanctions, as a lot of casinos and countries might be hitting sanctions from the governments placing them on bans. We have also heard cases of the interpretation about prediction market and the polymarket of them getting banned over violations of policies.

So it is not bad considering a recommended thread for such discussions.

I buy the idea of making this post a single thread and moderated if possible.

A few more countries though like Switzerland, Greece, Singapore, Bulgaria, Italy, Cyprus and Germany have also joined to place a ban on Polymarket.
If Polymarket agrees to become not a derivative market but more of just a gambling business, they would become regulated and limited and since they haven't, they are still much different than sheer gambling business and should have their own regulations and laws, at least that's what they believe.
So the battle is still on for them vs the countries that has blacklisted them and banned them.

[Mia Chloe]

~

Well I think the reason why they are eyes on prediction markets like the poly market is because of the premise of a couple of their bets or rather the kind of games they actually offer to the public some of them look too good to be true and odd based on the fact that the kinda quotes we see these days look pre planned.

For example presenting bets for the abduction or death of someone important seems too cringe and planned. Again prediction market is gradually leading so I doubt it will be taken down.

[acroman08]

I just saw this article Polymarket ban in Romania remains in force: ONJN classifies it as gambling. I think you should add Romania to the list that banned/balcklisted Polymarket. The article says that Romania rejected Polymarket's appeal to suspend the ban imposed by the National Gambling Office (ONJN) against Polymarket. So basically, the Romanian government stands by its stance that Polymarket is an unlicensed gambling platform. Also, apparently, Romania has banned Polymarket since October last year.

[r_victory]

They banned this here in Brazil, but our stock exchange (B3) already has something similar to offer (currently exclusive to professional investors); therefore, I do not believe it was due to regulatory or legal issues, but perhaps because of major internal interests.

[Dogedegen]

They banned this here in Brazil, but our stock exchange (B3) already has something similar to offer (currently exclusive to professional investors); therefore, I do not believe it was due to regulatory or legal issues, but perhaps because of major internal interests.

Sadly many people naively think that many times when regulation is done in some countries that it is to protect the people from some things, but in reality it is because of corruption and interests. They don't want the money to flow to some outsider that they are not connected to like the founders of Polymarket, but they want it to go to their friends and to themselves. I find it unfortunate that even with so many cases of this kind of abuse in the world and free flow of information that many people are still naive like this about the governments and countries. I am sure that prediction markets will come back in every country that bans them but has normal gambling allowed, they are just going to demand their own cuts to make it happen one way or another.

Those that think that it will stay banned do not understand how the world operates, there is too much money being made in that for them to keep it banned. Many of the countries that have preliminarily banned prediction markets would not have done it if the leading company was from their own country. 

[KTChampions]

They banned this here in Brazil, but our stock exchange (B3) already has something similar to offer (currently exclusive to professional investors); therefore, I do not believe it was due to regulatory or legal issues, but perhaps because of major internal interests.

Governments everywhere treat citizens as milk cattle. Naturally, they worry when a citizen takes his money not to "respected people from the local elite" but to decentralized (at least somewhat) international services. It makes me laugh when, under the guise of fighting gambling, access to various services is prohibited, but access to the same local services is allowed. Something similar is happening in your case. And as always, there are excuses about "qualified investors" and so on.

[Die_empty]

France has blocked access to the Polymarket betting website, the country's gambling regulator ​said on Friday, citing concerns it could expose users to ‌significant gambling losses and that some wagers offered on the platform could be manipulated.

France is next to block access to Polymarket as the country's National Gambling Authority directed French internet service ​providers to block access to the Polymarket website. They claimed that the platform promotes illegal gambling and that wagers offered on the platform are prone to manipulation. The government said that the platform will remain blocked until it complies with the country's gambling rules.

https://www.reuters.com/technology/french-internet-service-providers-told-block-access-polymarket-2026-07-17/

[Oshosondy]

France has blocked access to the Polymarket betting website, the country's gambling regulator ​said on Friday, citing concerns it could expose users to ‌significant gambling losses and that some wagers offered on the platform could be manipulated.

France is next to block access to Polymarket as the country's National Gambling Authority directed French internet service ​providers to block access to the Polymarket website. They claimed that the platform promotes illegal gambling and that wagers offered on the platform are prone to manipulation. The government said that the platform will remain blocked until it complies with the country's gambling rules.

https://www.reuters.com/technology/french-internet-service-providers-told-block-access-polymarket-2026-07-17/

Although France was on the lists before.

This is what I wanted to post just now, but you posted it before me. French gambling regulator has ordered internet service providers (ISP) to block Polymarket.

More countries are banning or blocking (in short restricting) Prediction Markets.

But many people are still using the Polymarket because it can easily be accesssed.

[Die_empty]

Although France was on the lists before.

This is what I wanted to post just now, but you posted it before me. French gambling regulator has ordered internet service providers (ISP) to block Polymarket.

More countries are banning or blocking (in short restricting) Prediction Markets.

But many people are still using the Polymarket because it can easily be accesssed.

Which means after the ban in France, some gamblers were still using these prediction markets. This is why the government has gone further to block Polymarket. The prediction market is getting more attention from gamblers since they can bet on various unconventional activities. So the government needs to take more steps to regulate them. These prediction market service providers should acquire gambling licences because more countries will keep banning them if they don't formally get approval as a gambling service provider.

[Dogedegen]

They banned this here in Brazil, but our stock exchange (B3) already has something similar to offer (currently exclusive to professional investors); therefore, I do not believe it was due to regulatory or legal issues, but perhaps because of major internal interests.

Governments everywhere treat citizens as milk cattle. Naturally, they worry when a citizen takes his money not to "respected people from the local elite" but to decentralized (at least somewhat) international services. It makes me laugh when, under the guise of fighting gambling, access to various services is prohibited, but access to the same local services is allowed. Something similar is happening in your case. And as always, there are excuses about "qualified investors" and so on.

Who is at fault for this then? The one doing the treating or the one that is letting himself be treated this way? People are complacent in modernity, they will take netflix and starbucks over caring whether they have access to decentralized services or whether there is corruption. If you look at poll data many will say that they are concerned about corruption, but they never do anything against it and in most countries the same people are voting for the same corrupt parties over and over again. So I would say that the milk cattle is at fault. From the side of the predators that is those in the governments, their motivation is very clear. They want their own share from these activities that is why they usually ask for license approval or they give a local business partner the ability to do the same that they have prohibited an international company from doing. The local business partner is already giving them money as their share, the international partner will not do that from the beginning or ever if they do not want to go that way.

France has blocked access to the Polymarket betting website, the country's gambling regulator ​said on Friday, citing concerns it could expose users to ‌significant gambling losses and that some wagers offered on the platform could be manipulated.

France is next to block access to Polymarket as the country's National Gambling Authority directed French internet service ​providers to block access to the Polymarket website. They claimed that the platform promotes illegal gambling and that wagers offered on the platform are prone to manipulation. The government said that the platform will remain blocked until it complies with the country's gambling rules.

https://www.reuters.com/technology/french-internet-service-providers-told-block-access-polymarket-2026-07-17/

Although France was on the lists before.

This is what I wanted to post just now, but you posted it before me. French gambling regulator has ordered internet service providers (ISP) to block Polymarket.

More countries are banning or blocking (in short restricting) Prediction Markets.

But many people are still using the Polymarket because it can easily be accesssed.

A VPN should be used when a ban is unfair or part of corruption, in the case of France this is yet another case of corruption. Most people working in government that have any power are corrupt.

[masulum]

A VPN should be used when a ban is unfair or part of corruption, in the case of France this is yet another case of corruption. Most people working in government that have any power are corrupt.

If someone choose to use VPN to access blocked service, that is a personal decision that still must consider the law and risk in their respective country. In Polymarket case, regulator probably have reason related to compliance with gambling rule, consumer protection, or financial market regulation, regardless of whether we agree with that reason or not, i don't think it's happens because of government just want to corrupt even more.

[Insanity]

Although France was on the lists before.

This is what I wanted to post just now, but you posted it before me. French gambling regulator has ordered internet service providers (ISP) to block Polymarket.

More countries are banning or blocking (in short restricting) Prediction Markets.

But many people are still using the Polymarket because it can easily be accesssed.

Which means after the ban in France, some gamblers were still using these prediction markets. This is why the government has gone further to block Polymarket. The prediction market is getting more attention from gamblers since they can bet on various unconventional activities. So the government needs to take more steps to regulate them. These prediction market service providers should acquire gambling licences because more countries will keep banning them if they don't formally get approval as a gambling service provider.

The position of prediction markets is precarious as each country has different definitions for prediction markets. Some financial and other regulators view them as financial or derivative products; others consider them gambling because users wager money on unknowable result. The reason Polymarket and similar platforms are still restricted is that nothing is certain in the legal world. Blocking won't prevent all the determined participants, however, it may deter casual users. If they intend to be accepted wider, they will have to follow local regulations, get the necessary permits (where applicable) and have higher compliance standards in the long run.

[Charles-Tim]

Which means after the ban in France, some gamblers were still using these prediction markets.

Another thing is that they will use VPN after the French ISPs block access to Polymarket.

If someone choose to use VPN to access blocked service, that is a personal decision that still must consider the law and risk in their respective country.

Yes, but is very risky, but the thing is that some people are using it. Even in countries like United States that now allowed their citizens and other people living in their country to register and bet on the site, some people still use VPN because they want to avoid KYC.

[Fiatless]

Yes, but is very risky, but the thing is that some people are using it. Even in countries like United States that now allowed their citizens and other people living in their country to register and bet on the site, some people still use VPN because they want to avoid KYC.

What will happen if these users who are bypassing the restrictions have problems with the platform? Since these platforms are banned, users cannot report any mistreatment to the goverment for investigation. It is risky to use them because he that comes with equity must come with clean hands. They can't be doing something illegal and expect the government to protect them.