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Indonesia Blocks Polymarket After Authorities Classify It as Online Gambling

Indonesia Blocks Polymarket After Authorities Classify It as Online Gambling

According to Indonesia’s communications ministry, Polymarket was blocked because staking money on event outcomes is treated as online gambling even when blockchain or cryptocurrencies are used, while the company is also preparing lobbying efforts in Japan targeting approval by 2030.

Fact Check
The official Komdigi press release directly confirms the block of polymarket.com as 'judi online' (online gambling) and that related social media accounts are being traced. Reuters and The Block independently corroborate that the action followed a Polymarket contract on President Prabowo Subianto leaving office. All elements of the claim are substantiated by the primary government source plus credible independent reporting.
Summary

Indonesia blocked access to Polymarket on May 22 after the Ministry of Communication and Digital said betting money on specific outcomes qualifies as online gambling under Indonesian law, even if blockchain or cryptocurrencies are used. The move followed official scrutiny of the platform’s event-based markets and reinforced Indonesia’s position that such activity is prohibited regardless of technology. The update also adds that Polymarket is preparing lobbying efforts in Japan with a goal of obtaining business approval by 2030, signaling that the company continues to pursue expansion even as regulatory pressure grows in multiple jurisdictions.

Terms & Concepts
  • Polymarket: A crypto-based prediction market platform that allows trading on political, economic, sports and other event outcomes.
  • blockchain: A distributed digital ledger used to record transactions across a network, often underlying cryptocurrencies and related applications.
  • cryptocurrencies: Digital assets that use cryptographic systems and blockchain-based networks to transfer and store value.