The Government of Indonesia has officially blocked access to Polymarket after classifying the platform as online gambling under local law.
Authorities said Polymarket allows users to place financial bets on uncertain future outcomes, including elections, sports events, and economic data, which violates Indonesia’s strict anti-gambling regulations.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Digital Communication stated that labelling the platform as a “prediction market” does not exempt it from gambling laws. Officials also said they plan to monitor and, if necessary, block social media accounts promoting the platform within the country.
Indonesia joins several other countries, including Singapore, Brazil and India, that have recently restricted access to Polymarket and similar blockchain-based prediction platforms.
Regulators globally are increasingly examining whether decentralized prediction markets should be treated as financial tools or unlicensed gambling operations. The growing crackdown highlights rising legal risks for crypto platforms that combine real-money trading with event-based speculation.
Industry observers say the future of prediction markets may depend on whether operators can adapt their models to comply with local gambling and financial regulations.
Indonesia blocked access to Polymarket, labeling the prediction-market a form of online gambling soon after a bet on the possible early end of President Prabowo Subianto’s tenure circulated widely on social media https://t.co/7SZEsgHVQ2
— Bloomberg (@business) May 25, 2026
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