In a recent development, users within India have been unable to access Polymarket, as authorities have taken steps to restrict prediction market platforms deemed as illegal online money gaming services. This move aligns with a government advisory aimed at curbing access to prediction markets and online betting sites that are considered unlawful under local regulations.
Currently, Indian users attempting to reach Polymarket via its official website encounter an access error message. Reloading the page does not restore entry, indicating that the platform has been effectively blocked in the country. The restrictions are part of a broader effort to enforce the classification of certain prediction market platforms as prohibited online money gaming services under Indian law.
This action follows an advisory issued on April 25 by India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to VPN providers. The advisory highlighted that despite existing prohibitions, local users continue to access illegal and blocked prediction market and online betting platforms. As a result, internet service providers have been instructed to block access to these websites, with Polymarket being among the platforms targeted for enforcement.
According to reports from local media citing an unnamed MeitY source, a blocking order has already been issued to prevent access to Polymarket. Furthermore, the same sources indicated that the ministry is in the process of issuing a similar order to Kalshi, a prediction market operator regulated by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission, potentially as soon as this Friday. This suggests that enforcement efforts may extend beyond Polymarket to other prediction market operators operating within or targeting the Indian market.
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Prediction markets enable users to place real-money wagers on the outcomes of binary events, such as elections, referendums, financial market movements, and other future developments. These markets gained notable attention during the 2024 US presidential election, where they were widely used for trading and hedging related to political outcomes. In India, participation on these platforms is considered online money gaming, which, under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act 2025, is classified as a prohibited activity. India Polymarket Platforms
