Indonesia’s Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs has blocked access to Polymarket, saying the cryptocurrency-based prediction market amounts to online gambling under local law.
The ministry said it had cut off access to the platform and was tracking affiliated social media accounts for possible restrictions on other digital channels.
Alexander Sabar, general director of supervision of the digital space, stated that platforms that allow users to bet money with uncertain outcomes remain gambling products, even when they use blockchain technology or cryptoassets.
Polymarket allows users to trade contracts tied to real-world events, including elections, sports, cryptocurrency prices, and political results. The platform has become one of the largest crypto prediction markets, but regulators in several jurisdictions have treated parts of the business as gambling rather than financial market activities.
Indonesia’s statement did not name Kalshi, a US-regulated prediction market operator, or other platforms, but said authorities would restrict similar services that facilitate online gambling.
The order could be extended to other prediction market platforms if Indonesian regulators determine that they allow users to bet money on uncertain real-world events.
Indonesia’s move follows a broader crackdown on prediction markets in Asia. India recently blocked Polymarket after authorities classified such platforms as banned online money games, and Kalshi also faces potential scrutiny. Polymarket is separately seeking approval in Japan by 2030, where strict gambling rules limit most forms of gambling outside of state-sanctioned activities.
The Indonesian ministry said Singapore, Brazil and India have blocked Polymarket, while Taiwan, Thailand, China and Japan have imposed restrictions based on local laws. The prediction market is also blocked in Ukraine, where there is no legal way to return.
The regulator urged Indonesians not to access or participate in digital betting activities, including markets that use crypto assets, citing possible financial losses and violations of Indonesian law. The ministry said it would continue to coordinate with law enforcement and other stakeholders to monitor similar platforms.
