Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs has blocked access to Polymarket, the world’s largest prediction market platform, and plans to block all social media accounts affiliated with it.

 

According to Alexander Sabar, Director General of Digital Space Supervision, platforms that facilitate money-based betting on specific outcomes or events are still categorized as online gambling, even if they are presented as prediction markets.

 

“The government will not allow any form of online gambling in Indonesia. Activities like Polymarket involve betting and speculation on uncertain outcomes, thus violating Indonesian law,” Sabar said in Central Jakarta, one of the country’s main administrative areas.

 

The agency also said the decision to block Polymarket is intended to protect younger users and the broader public in the digital space, and added that it will block access to other platforms that facilitate online gambling activities in the country.

 

Prior to the ban, Polymarket had a limited user base in Indonesia. However, it gained greater visibility between May 20 and 21 of this month when it launched a contract on whether President Prabowo Subianto would leave office early. The contract drew significant attention in Indonesian digital spaces, attracting roughly 51,000 dollars in trading volume within days of its launch.

 

Global Crackdown on Prediction Markets Continues

Regulators' crackdown on the activities of prediction market companies continues to intensify. Just last month, Brazil’s National Monetary Council (CMN), together with other government agencies and regulators, blocked Polymarket, Kalshi, and 27 other prediction market platforms from operating in the country. This came shortly after a court in Buenos Aires reportedly ordered a ban on Polymarket in Argentina.

 

Other countries in Europe, including France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, and Hungary, have either banned or heavily restricted the activities of Polymarket, Kalshi, and other prediction market companies within their jurisdictions.

 

In the United States, several state regulators have taken action against prediction markets, with Minnesota most recently imposing a comprehensive ban on them. At least 17 states, including Illinois, New York, and Ohio, have issued cease-and-desist orders against prediction market companies.

 

 

An Argentine court has ordered a nationwide block on the prediction market platform Polymarket over unauthorized gambling activities.

 

The ruling, issued by the Criminal, Misdemeanor and Offenses Court No. 31 in Buenos Aires, directs the country’s national communications and media regulator, the Ente Nacional de Comunicaciones (ENACOM), to block access to Polymarket and its variants.

 

 

In the ruling, Judge Susana Beatriz Parada, the presiding judge of the court, instructed ENACOM to carry out all possible blocking measures, directly, indirectly, or through internet service providers (ISPs), and to promptly inform the court of any obstacles that could prevent full compliance with the ruling.

 

In addition to the nationwide ban, the court ordered the removal of the Polymarket application from Android and iOS stores, effectively preventing existing users from accessing it.

 

While the ruling appears severe, it follows an investigation into a complaint filed by the Buenos Aires City Lottery (LOTBA), the government agency responsible for regulating legal gambling activities in Argentina’s capital.

 

After receiving the complaint, the court, presided over by Judge Susana Parada, instructed Juan Rozas, head of the City’s Specialized Gambling Prosecutor’s Office (FEJA), to conduct an investigation that ultimately led to the decision.

 

According to Argentine authorities, Polymarket offers features that “significantly increase risks for users.” These include the ability to conduct transactions using cryptocurrencies and credit cards, as well as a lack of identity and age verification, allowing anyone to create an account within minutes.

 

Authorities say these features raise serious concerns about minors, who can easily access the platform and begin gambling without oversight.

 

 

Polymarket and Regional Bans

With this ban, Argentina joins more than 33 countries and regions that have restricted or prohibited the activities of Polymarket, many citing the company’s unlicensed gambling operations.

 

Colombia was the first South American country to block Polymarket. In late 2025, Coljuegos, the country’s gambling regulator, declared Polymarket’s activities illegal, stating that the company was offering unauthorized online betting.