- Ukraine blocks Polymarket for operating without a gambling license.
- Polymarket is a decentralized prediction market where users bet on real-world events.
- ISPs in Ukraine were instructed to restrict access to the Polymarket domain.
Ukraine has restricted access to the popular prediction market platform Polymarket.
Authorities implemented the measure after classifying the platform’s activities as participation in unlicensed gambling.
Internet service providers across Ukraine were ordered to limit access to the Polymarket domain.
This decision is part of a broader effort to regulate online gambling and protect consumers from unlicensed betting services.
Regulatory measures and legal basis
The official block follows Resolution No. 695 issued by the National Commission for the State Regulation of Communications and Informatization (NCCIR) on December 10, 2025.
The resolution enforces an earlier determination by the state agency PlayCity, which identified platforms operating illegal gambling services.
Under Ukrainian law, any website that enables gambling without a valid license must be restricted.
Internet providers are legally required to comply with the block and prevent users from accessing listed domains.
The resolution also mandates oversight to ensure compliance, including inspections and reporting by relevant agencies.
The Polymarket domain has been added to Ukraine’s public registry of blocked resources.
Authorities warned that providers who fail to comply could face legal consequences.
This action reflects Ukraine’s ongoing campaign against illegal online gambling platforms.
Hundreds of sites have been blocked under similar rules alongside Polymarket.
How Polymarket operates and why Ukraine blocked it
Polymarket is a decentralized prediction market where participants place wagers on the outcomes of real-world events.
Users buy and sell “shares” that represent specific results; payouts depend on the actual outcome.
For example, a market might predict whether a particular city will be occupied by the end of the year.
Users place bets using USDC, a stablecoin, and transactions occur on the Polygon blockchain.
Because markets and transactions are recorded on-chain, the platform offers transparency rooted in blockchain technology.
Polymarket is valued at roughly $8 billion and was founded in 2020 by Shayne Coplan.
The platform saw substantial activity, with markets related to Ukraine surpassing $100 million in wagers by the end of 2025.
Authorities expressed concern about markets tied to wartime events and highlighted both legal and reputational risks.
Despite operating in a decentralized way on blockchain infrastructure, prediction markets like Polymarket are treated as gambling under Ukrainian law.
This legal interpretation has prompted similar restrictions in other countries, including Romania, France, Belgium, and Thailand.
Efforts to regulate crypto-based platforms
Ukraine’s move against Polymarket underscores growing regulatory scrutiny of crypto-based platforms worldwide.
Regulators are intent on enforcing licensing requirements and preventing unregulated gambling activities online.
While Polymarket continues to operate in other jurisdictions, access from within Ukraine is now fully restricted.
This action fits a global trend of increased oversight of online betting and crypto-powered services to protect consumers and ensure legal compliance.
Users in Ukraine will need to seek licensed alternatives to avoid interacting with platforms that local authorities consider illegal.