Czech Republic Orders Internet Providers to Block Polymarket Over Unlicensed Gambling
Polymarket has been added to the Czech Republic’s list of unauthorised gambling operators, marking another setback for the prediction market platform as European regulators intensify scrutiny of its business model. The Ministry of Finance has instructed internet service providers to restrict access to the site within 15 days, concluding that the platform is offering gambling services without the licences required under Czech law.
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The decision places the Czech Republic alongside a growing group of European jurisdictions that have taken action against Polymarket, including France, Belgium, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands and, more recently, Italy. Regulators across the region have increasingly challenged the company’s position that its markets function as financial or informational products rather than gambling.
Czech authorities maintain that the practical operation of prediction markets is indistinguishable from betting. While platforms describe users as trading contracts tied to future events, officials argue that participants are still risking money on uncertain outcomes with the expectation of financial gain, bringing the activity within the scope of gambling regulation.
Jan Řehola, director of the Czech Institute for Gambling Regulation, supported the ministry’s move, arguing that the terminology used by prediction market operators should not determine how the services are regulated. In his view, products that allow users to profit or lose money based on real-world events should be subject to the same legal standards as traditional betting operators, including safeguards for consumers, anti-money laundering controls and regulatory oversight.
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The Czech action follows a similar development in the Netherlands, where the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) recently reaffirmed its intention to pursue enforcement measures, including fines, against Polymarket for allegedly providing gambling services without authorisation.
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The latest enforcement also comes at a time when another European jurisdiction is moving in the opposite direction. Gibraltar has introduced what it describes as the world’s first regulatory framework created specifically for prediction markets. The rules establish prediction markets as a separate licensing category, with dedicated authorisation requirements and oversight by an independent supervisory panel operating under the Gambling Act 2025.
Gibraltar had already issued a gambling licence to ADI Predictstreet under its previous regulatory framework ahead of the FIFA World Cup. WagerWire has also announced that it received approval in principle, while Justice Minister Nigel Feetham has indicated that at least one additional operator is expected to receive preliminary approval in the coming weeks.
The contrasting approaches illustrate a widening regulatory divide in Europe. While several EU countries are treating prediction markets as unauthorised gambling services and moving to block access, Gibraltar is seeking to accommodate the sector through a dedicated licensing regime designed specifically for these products.
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