JAKARTA, May 22, 2026 — Indonesia’s Communication and Digital Affairs Ministry said it had blocked access to prediction-market platform Polymarket after classifying the service as a form of online gambling under Indonesian law.
Alexander Sabar, the ministry’s director general of digital space supervision, said activities conducted through Polymarket involved “betting and speculation on uncertain events,” which authorities said violated Indonesian regulations.
“The government will not allow any form of online gambling in Indonesia,” Sabar said, according to the state-run ANTARA news agency.
Prediction markets allow users to trade contracts linked to the outcomes of future events, including elections, economic developments and sporting events, often utilizing blockchain infrastructure or crypto assets. Indonesian authorities said Polymarket functioned in practice as a platform facilitating monetary betting on event outcomes and therefore remained categorized as online gambling.
Digital enforcement and platform restrictions
The ministry said it had blocked access to the platform and was tracing social-media accounts affiliated with Polymarket as part of broader efforts to restrict access across digital platforms.
Authorities said the move was intended to protect the public, particularly younger internet users, from speculative digital betting activity.
The ministry also said additional services suspected of facilitating similar prediction-market activity could face blocking measures.
Reuters reported that the move followed increased attention surrounding prediction-market activity tied to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.
Growing scrutiny of prediction-market platforms
According to Indonesian authorities, several jurisdictions have already restricted or blocked Polymarket and comparable prediction-market platforms after classifying them as online gambling services.
The ministry cited Singapore, Brazil and India as jurisdictions that had officially blocked Polymarket, while Taiwan, Thailand, China and Japan had imposed restrictions under their respective national legal frameworks.
The Indonesian government said it would continue coordinating with law-enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to monitor digital platforms and maintain what it described as a “safe, healthy, and productive” digital ecosystem.
