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Spain Orders Preventive Blocks on Polymarket and Kalshi Over Alleged Unlicensed Gambling

Spain Orders Preventive Blocks on Polymarket and Kalshi Over Alleged Unlicensed Gambling

According to Spain’s gambling regulator, internet service providers were ordered to block Polymarket and Kalshi for about three to four months during an investigation into alleged unlicensed event-based trading and missing user protections.

Fact Check
Multiple independent authoritative sources confirm the claim. El País cites Spain's official state gazette (BOE) publication on May 26, 2026, in which the Ministry of Consumo ordered preventive ISP blocks against Polymarket and Kalshi for operating without a gambling license. Reuters independently confirms the temporary ban via the same official gazette. CoinDesk provides additional procedural detail (DGOJ proceedings, 3-4 month investigation period). Cryptopolitan corroborates with technical enforcement details. All four align on the central facts.
Summary

Spain has moved ahead with enforcement against prediction markets Polymarket and Kalshi, with the Directorate General for Gambling Regulation ordering internet service providers to temporarily block access to both platforms during a roughly three- to four-month investigation. Regulators said the companies offered event-based prediction trading to users in Spain without a Spanish gambling license. Authorities also cited missing safeguards including identity verification, underage protections, and self-limitation measures as part of the case.

Terms & Concepts
  • Prediction market: A platform where users trade on the outcome of future events, with market prices often interpreted as reflecting perceived probabilities.