Czech Republic blocks Polymarket, forces ISPs to restrict access

The Czech Ministry of Finance has added the decentralised prediction market Polymarket to its registry of unlawful internet games, compelling domestic internet service providers to block the site within 15 days under local law. Announced on Tuesday, the decision aligns the Czech Republic with a growing number of European nations tightening oversight on prediction-market platforms.

Citing the platform's projected $220 billion in trading volume for 2025 and a monthly turnover of roughly $10–$11 billion, the ministry concluded that Polymarket's offering constitutes unlicensed gambling under Czech statutes. Regulators and academics have flagged two core concerns: the potential for market manipulation and the misuse of non-public information.

Jan Řehola, director of the Institute for Gambling Regulation, argued that products functioning as betting must be regulated accordingly. "We cannot stop treating it as gambling simply because it is called a contract," he said. He added that "player protection, the prevention of money laundering and effective market supervision must not depend on what an operator chooses to call its product." The move, he insisted, is "not about banning innovation" but about applying consistent rules.

Polymarket's blockchain-based architecture poses additional challenges due to its emphasis on global access and minimal identity verification. Across Europe, regulators in Germany, Belgium, Romania, Switzerland, Poland, Greece, Cyprus, Portugal, Spain and Ukraine have already restricted or blocked the platform. Notably, the Netherlands' Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) ordered Polymarket to halt operations by 17 February; the platform complied a day late and is now facing sanctions despite an appeal.

In June, nine European regulators launched a joint initiative to crack down on unlicensed prediction markets, citing consumer protection and market integrity risks. The Czech Republic's latest action reinforces this coordinated regulatory push.