Is prediction-market trading legal? A 2026 country guide
This is general information, not legal advice. Prediction-market rules differ by country and change quickly. You are responsible for knowing and following the laws that apply to you. By using this site you confirm you are in a permitted region and of legal age. Reviewed June 2026.
Prediction markets sit in different legal boxes around the world. In some places they are treated as a regulated financial product, in others as gambling, and in many they fall into a grey area no regulator has squarely addressed. Polymarket — the exchange this site connects to — is reachable in roughly 180 countries but geo-restricts 30-plus jurisdictions, a handful of which are limited to closing existing positions rather than opening new ones.
This interface mirrors Polymarket's own geo-restrictions and blocks the United States and sanctioned jurisdictions at the edge. The summaries below reflect the picture as of June 2026; for a definitive, always-current answer for your country, Polymarket's official geo-restriction list — not this page — is the source of truth.
United States
Two-trackThere are now two different things called Polymarket. The international platform — the one this site connects to — is blocked for US users, a condition of Polymarket's 2022 CFTC settlement, and we block US traffic at the edge. Separately, a regulated US product, Polymarket US, launched in December 2025 after Polymarket acquired a CFTC-registered exchange (QCX); it runs as a CFTC-designated contract market with full identity verification and US-dollar settlement. So regulated event-contract trading is legal in the US through that licensed product — but this interface is not it, and is not available to US users.
United Kingdom
Not licensed herePrediction markets aren't banned in the UK, but offering them to UK consumers generally requires authorisation — a Gambling Commission betting-intermediary licence, or FCA authorisation for spread-betting-style products. Polymarket isn't UK-licensed and geo-blocks UK users. The Gambling Commission is widely expected to publish dedicated prediction-market guidance later in 2026. UK-licensed betting exchanges are the regulated alternative.
Canada
Mostly available · Ontario blockedAccessible across most of Canada, with Ontario the notable exception: the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario requires a licence Polymarket hasn't obtained, so Ontario residents are blocked. Elsewhere it sits in a regulatory grey area — not specifically addressed by the Canadian Securities Administrators, and not explicitly prohibited.
European Union & wider Europe
Country-by-countryThere is no single European rule. Several countries — including France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Hungary, Switzerland and Ukraine — restrict or block Polymarket, with regulators across much of Europe treating it as unlicensed gambling; France moved to restrict access in late 2024, and Poland is 'close-only'. Other European countries remain accessible. Treat the status as specific to your country and check your national regulator.
Australia
BlockedBlocked. Australian law treats unlicensed offshore betting and prediction sites as prohibited interactive gambling, and Polymarket appears on its blocked list.
Singapore
Close-only'Close-only': existing positions can be closed but new ones can't be opened, following a 2025 Gambling Regulatory Authority crackdown on offshore betting sites.
Sanctioned & embargoed regions
Fully blockedFully blocked everywhere on Polymarket — including Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria and Venezuela, plus the Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.
How to check your own status
Rules change faster than any guide can. Before you trade: confirm your country on Polymarket's official geo-restriction list, check whether your national gambling or financial regulator has said anything about prediction markets or event contracts, and if you're unsure, get local advice. Using a VPN to evade geo-blocks can breach the terms of service and your local law — we don't recommend it.
Common questions
Is Polymarket legal in the United States?
As of mid-2026, regulated event-contract trading is legal in the US through Polymarket US, a CFTC-designated contract market that launched in December 2025 with full identity verification and USD settlement. The international Polymarket platform that this site connects to remains blocked for US users, so this interface is not available in the US.
Is Polymarket legal in the UK?
Prediction markets are not banned in the UK, but offering them to UK consumers generally requires a Gambling Commission licence or FCA authorisation. Polymarket is not UK-licensed and geo-blocks UK users; dedicated regulatory guidance is expected later in 2026.
Is Polymarket legal in Canada?
Polymarket is accessible across most of Canada but blocked in Ontario, which requires AGCO licensing. In other provinces it operates in a regulatory grey area and is not explicitly prohibited.
Where is prediction-market trading restricted?
Polymarket geo-restricts 30-plus jurisdictions, including the United States, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium and sanctioned countries, with some (such as Singapore and Poland) limited to closing existing positions. The authoritative, always-current list is published in Polymarket's official documentation.
Sources: Polymarket geo-restriction documentation; CFTC orders and reporting on Polymarket US (Dec 2025); UK Gambling Commission / FCA guidance. This page is general information, reviewed June 2026, and is not legal advice. See also our FAQ and responsible-use page.