Indonesia Prohibits Polymarket in Expanded Crackdown on Online Gambling Platforms

(AsiaGameHub) –   Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (MCDA) has moved to block access to the Polymarket website, citing its operation as a prediction market that functions like an online gambling platform under the guise of a trading venue.

Daniel Sabar, General Director of the MCDA’s Digital Space Authorisation Directorate, emphasized that Indonesian authorities will not tolerate any form of illegal online gambling and confirmed that Polymarket’s core activity amounts to “gambling” or “wagering,” where users stake real money on the outcomes of uncertain future events.

Speaking at a press conference in Jakarta, Sabar clarified that while many prediction market platforms are promoted as venues for forecasting elections, economic developments, or sports results using blockchain or cryptocurrency, Indonesian law treats them all as equivalent to gambling services.

Alongside blocking the Polymarket website, Sabar’s office has also identified and taken steps to limit access to social media accounts linked to the platform.

Sabar noted that global regulatory actions against gambling further reinforce the view that prediction markets resemble gambling operations rather than legitimate financial exchanges under Indonesian legal standards.

Officials reiterated that no financial or trading product can be deemed “safe” if it involves real-money speculation.

The government affirmed its ongoing collaboration with law enforcement to monitor digital platforms and ensure a “safe, healthy, and productive online environment.”