Indonesia has blocked access to Polymarket, the crypto-based prediction market, after a wager on President Prabowo Subianto leaving office early went viral. The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs announced the ban Thursday, saying it’s meant to protect the public—especially younger Indonesians—from online gambling.
What the government said
Director General Alexander Sabar made it clear: platforms that let people bet real money on event outcomes are gambling, even if they call themselves “prediction markets” or use blockchain. The ministry will also block other prediction sites it suspects of facilitating online gambling and will track down social media accounts promoting Polymarket. The timing isn't great for the platform, which has been fighting similar accusations elsewhere.
A growing list of bans
Indonesia joins a long roster of countries that have taken action against Polymarket. Taiwan, Thailand, China and India have imposed restrictions. Singapore, Colombia and India have issued official blocks. Argentina blocked the site nationwide in March 2025. Brazil banned both Polymarket and its US rival Kalshi in March 2025. The pattern is clear: regulators outside the US see these markets as unlicensed gambling operations, not harmless prediction tools.
Heat from Washington too
Over in the US, House Representative James Comer has launched a formal investigation into Polymarket and Kalshi. That move followed suspicious trades linked to classified US military operations and geopolitical events—exactly the kind of information-betting that worries lawmakers. Both companies also lost bids to halt gambling-related enforcement actions in Nevada and Washington state. So they’re squeezed from multiple directions at once.
The Indonesian government says it’s not done. More prediction market services could be blocked in the coming weeks. And social media accounts that pushed Polymarket’s link are now in the crosshairs. The question is how many other jurisdictions will follow Jakarta’s lead.
