Indonesia Blocks Polymarket as Illegal Gambling Service

Indonesian authorities have blocked access to Polymarket, the cryptocurrency-based prediction market platform, classifying it as an illegal online gambling service. The Ministry of Communication and Digital announced the restriction on Friday, stating that the platform enables users to place money on uncertain outcomes, including political contests, athletic competitions, and economic events, which violates the country’s strict anti-gambling laws.

The government action came days after Polymarket opened a market allowing users to bet on whether President Prabowo Subianto would leave office before the end of his term. The contract launched on May 21, one day after Prabowo announced plans to centralize control over major commodity exports, including coal and palm oil, sectors critical to Indonesia’s economy. The market recorded more than $46,000 in trading volume, with traders pricing an 18 percent chance of Prabowo leaving by the end of 2026, despite his five-year term running until October 2029.

Director General of Digital Space Supervision Alexander Sabar said in a statement that Polymarket’s activities involve “betting and speculation on uncertain outcomes,” placing the...