Indonesia has moved to block access to prediction market platform Polymarket as authorities intensify their nationwide campaign against online gambling and unlicensed betting activity.
The country’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs confirmed that the platform was restricted after officials identified gambling-related content on the site. The decision came shortly after markets appeared on Polymarket allowing users to speculate on whether Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto would leave office before the end of his term.
Indonesian regulators said the move forms part of a broader effort to combat illegal online gambling, which authorities view as a growing threat to the country’s financial system and digital ecosystem. The government has already taken aggressive enforcement steps in recent months, including shutting down gambling websites, freezing thousands of bank accounts and targeting payment channels linked to unlawful betting operations.
The action against Polymarket adds Indonesia to a growing list of jurisdictions tightening restrictions on prediction market operators. Several countries in Europe and South America have recently moved against platforms offering event-based wagering without local licences. Nations including France, Belgium, Portugal and Brazil have either blocked or restricted access to Polymarket over concerns tied to gambling regulation and consumer protection.
Prediction markets have faced increased global scrutiny as regulators debate whether the platforms should be treated as financial products or forms of gambling. Critics have also raised concerns over speculative betting tied to political events, wars and other sensitive topics.
Indonesia, where most forms of gambling are prohibited, has continued to strengthen enforcement against digital betting activity throughout 2026. Authorities say further measures could follow as they work to curb access to offshore gambling and prediction market services.