Indonesia has officially blocked access to blockchain-based prediction market platform Polymarket, escalating the country’s crackdown on crypto services that regulators believe facilitate online gambling activities. The action was announced by Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs on Friday, May 22, 2026. The ministry stated that the platform violated national regulations prohibiting online gambling despite operating under the label of a prediction market.
According to the ministry, Polymarket enables users to place speculative bets using cryptocurrency on the outcome of real-world events, effectively making it comparable to online betting platforms already banned in the country.
Ministry Labels Polymarket as Disguised Online Gambling
Alexander Sabar, Director General of Digital Space Supervision, stated that the government would not tolerate any form of online gambling activity within Indonesia.
“The government will not allow any form of online gambling in Indonesia. Activities like Polymarket contain elements of monetary betting and speculation over events whose outcomes are uncertain, thus violating the prevailing laws and regulations in Indonesia,” Sabar said.
He further described the platform as “online gambling disguised as a prediction market” (judi online berkedok prediction market).
Authorities reportedly intensified monitoring after several politically sensitive prediction markets connected to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto began circulating online. One widely discussed market allowed users to speculate on whether the president would leave office before the end of his term in 2029.
The contract quickly gained traction on social media and drew regulatory attention due to its politically sensitive nature and financial speculation component.
Indonesian officials viewed the activity as crossing the line between public forecasting and online gambling, particularly because users could profit from uncertain political outcomes through crypto-based trading.
Government Expands Digital Gambling Crackdown
The Polymarket block forms part of Indonesia’s broader campaign against illegal online gambling platforms and unauthorized digital betting activity.
The ministry stated that authorities are continuing to monitor mirror domains, affiliated social media accounts, and similar platforms that may attempt to bypass local restrictions through alternative channels.
Officials added that nationwide access restrictions have already been implemented as part of efforts to protect the public, especially younger internet users, from online gambling exposure.
Indonesia has maintained strict anti-gambling regulations for years and has blocked millions of gambling-related websites as part of its national enforcement strategy.
The latest action also reflects a wider regional trend of authorities targeting prediction market platforms that operate using cryptocurrency infrastructure and decentralized payment systems.
India Also Tightens Restrictions on Prediction Market Platforms
Indonesia’s move comes weeks after India intensified its own enforcement efforts against offshore prediction market platforms, including Polymarket.
India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) recently directed VPN providers and internet intermediaries to prevent access to banned betting and prediction market websites. Authorities reportedly warned that companies failing to comply could risk losing safe harbour protections under India’s IT regulations.
Indian regulators also raised concerns that users were bypassing ISP-level restrictions through VPN services and crypto payments, allowing continued access to speculative event-based trading platforms despite earlier enforcement actions.
The crackdown highlighted how regulators are increasingly viewing decentralized prediction markets through the same legal lens as online gambling operations, especially when users can financially benefit from uncertain real-world outcomes.
Prediction Markets Facing Rising Global Scrutiny
Prediction market platforms such as Polymarket allow users to buy and trade shares tied to the probability of future events. Markets commonly involve elections, economic indicators, geopolitical developments, sports results, and major global news events.
Despite increasing regulatory pressure, Polymarket has continued expanding its crypto infrastructure capabilities. The company recently acquired crypto automation platform Brahma as part of efforts to strengthen its DeFi and on-chain trading infrastructure amid rising global adoption of prediction markets.
Supporters argue that prediction markets function as decentralized information systems capable of aggregating public sentiment more effectively than traditional polling methods because financial incentives encourage users to make more accurate predictions.
Critics, however, argue that such platforms closely resemble gambling operations since participants financially speculate on uncertain outcomes for profit.
The debate becomes particularly controversial when prediction markets involve political figures, wars, leadership changes, or other sensitive global events where financial incentives could encourage manipulation or unethical behavior.
Several countries have already imposed restrictions or blocks on Polymarket-related services over gambling and licensing concerns, while regulators continue debating whether prediction markets should fall under gaming laws, derivatives regulation, or broader crypto oversight frameworks.
Regulatory Uncertainty Continues Around Crypto Prediction Platforms
The restriction on Polymarket also highlights the broader regulatory uncertainty surrounding emerging crypto-based applications operating outside traditional financial categories.
Governments across multiple jurisdictions are still debating whether prediction markets should be regulated as gambling platforms, derivatives exchanges, or entirely new forms of digital asset services.
As regulators continue tightening oversight of speculative crypto applications, prediction markets are increasingly becoming one of the most contested sectors within the broader digital asset industry.
Indonesia’s latest action signals that, at least for now, the country views blockchain-based prediction platforms not as financial innovation tools, but as another form of prohibited online gambling.
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