Czech Republic Orders ISPs to Block Polymarket Within 15 Days

TLDR

• Czech Republic orders ISPs to block Polymarket within 15 days nationwide.

• Polymarket faces another European ban after Czech gambling ruling.

• Czech regulators classify Polymarket as an unlicensed gambling platform.

• Europe tightens pressure as Czech Republic blocks Polymarket access.

• Polymarket ban expands across Europe with Czech enforcement order.

The Czech Republic has classified Polymarket as an unlicensed gambling platform and ordered internet service providers to block access within 15 days. The decision places Polymarket on the country’s list of unauthorized internet games. The move expands a growing European crackdown on prediction market platforms.

Czech authorities classify Polymarket as an unlicensed gambling platform

The Czech Ministry of Finance added Polymarket to its official list of unauthorized internet games on July 13. Consequently, internet service providers must restrict access before the 15-day compliance period ends. The ministry stated that the platform operates without the licenses required under national gambling laws.

Authorities concluded that prediction markets function as gambling products despite using investment-related terminology. They argued that contracts and investment returns describe activities that closely resemble betting services. Therefore, regulators decided that existing gambling rules should apply to the platform.

Officials also stated that consistent regulation protects consumers and strengthens market oversight. Additionally, they maintained that operators should meet the same legal obligations regardless of product branding. The decision follows the country’s broader enforcement efforts against unauthorized online gambling services.

European restrictions expand as prediction market scrutiny grows

The Czech Republic joins several European countries that have already restricted Polymarket operations. France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Romania, and the Netherlands have introduced similar measures against the platform. As a result, access to Polymarket continues to shrink across major European markets.

Outside Europe, regulators in Australia, New Zealand and Brazil have also taken comparable enforcement actions. These jurisdictions have questioned whether decentralized prediction markets comply with local gambling and financial regulations. Consequently, regulatory pressure continues to increase across multiple regions.

Several authorities have raised concerns about customer protection, anti-money laundering compliance, and market integrity. Regulators have also highlighted the absence of traditional licensing requirements and formal customer verification processes. Therefore, decentralized prediction markets continue to face heightened legal scrutiny worldwide.

Gibraltar adopts a different regulatory approach

While many European countries have restricted Polymarket, Gibraltar has introduced a separate framework for prediction markets. The territory recently launched a dedicated regulatory regime for the sector. Furthermore, Gibraltar classified prediction markets separately from gambling products and financial instruments.

The new framework followed licensing approvals for prediction market operators ADI Predictstreet and Wire Market. The United States regulates similar platforms under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. These different approaches illustrate the varied regulatory treatment of prediction markets across jurisdictions.

Polymarket settles contracts using the USDC stablecoin through blockchain-based smart contracts instead of traditional gambling systems. Czech authorities maintain that the platform’s structure does not change the underlying activity. Polymarket now faces another national restriction as European regulators continue applying gambling laws to decentralized prediction market services.