TLDR Indonesia’s Communication and Digital Affairs Ministry has blocked access to Polymarket, classifying it as online gambling Director General Alexander Sabar said the platform’s prediction market activities violate Indonesian law The ministry is also tracking Polymarket-affiliated social media accounts to enforce the ban Countries including Singapore, Brazil, India, Taiwan, Thailand, China, and Japan have also restricted the platform The government warned citizens to avoid speculative digital betting, including crypto-related transactions, and said it will work with police to monitor platforms
Indonesia has blocked access to Polymarket after the government classified the crypto prediction market as an online gambling service. The country’s Communication and Digital Affairs Ministry announced the decision as part of a wider crackdown on speculative digital betting.
Director General of Digital Space Supervision Alexander Sabar confirmed the move in a statement to reporters in Jakarta. He said the government will not allow any form of online gambling to operate in Indonesia.
Sabar said Polymarket’s activities involve betting and speculation on uncertain events. He said this violates Indonesian law, regardless of how the platform presents itself.
Why Indonesia Classified Polymarket as Gambling
Polymarket operates as a prediction market, a type of platform where users trade contracts based on the outcomes of future events. These events can include elections, economic trends, or sporting results. The platform uses blockchain technology and crypto assets.
However, the Indonesian ministry said that in practice, Polymarket functions as a platform for monetary betting on outcomes. Because of this, the government said it falls under the country’s gambling laws.
The ministry said it has also traced social media accounts affiliated with Polymarket. Officials said this step was taken to ensure access control across multiple platforms.
The goal, according to the ministry, is to protect the public. Officials said they are especially focused on