Belgium becomes fourth country to officially restrict access to Polymarket
Belgium's Gambling Authority, known as the Kansspelcommissie, has officially blacklisted the crypto-based online prediction platform Polymarket, effective January 30, 2025.
According to local newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, the platform was deemed non-compliant with the country's Gambling Act. With this action, Belgium joins France, Singapore, and Poland in restricting access to Polymarket.
France was the first to act in November last year, following revelations that an anonymous user had allegedly placed $28 million in bets on Donald Trump's re-election as the US president across four separate accounts.
In mid-January 2025, both Singapore and Poland deemed Polymarket non-compliant with their respective gambling regulations.
Founded in 2020 by technologist Shayne Coplan, Polymarket primarily focuses on niche markets related to politics, economics, entertainment, weather, and more. The platform faced criticism from American media last month for allowing bets on outcomes related to California's wildfires, raising questions about the ethics of betting on natural disasters.
