Argentina is cracking down on Polymarket. The government has ordered a nationwide block of the prediction market platform, saying it operates like unlicensed online gambling. Regulators cited risks tied to crypto payments, credit card deposits, and the lack of proper identity checks, which could let minors participate.
A Buenos Aires court agreed, directing authorities to enforce the ban. ENACOM, the country’s telecom regulator, has been tasked with coordinating the block, while Google and Apple were asked to remove the app from their stores. Local gaming bodies, including the Buenos Aires City Lottery and the Argentine Chamber of Casinos, had filed complaints.
Authorities also flagged suspicious activity, such as the platform reportedly changing predictions on Argentina’s February inflation rate just 15 minutes before official data was released. They concluded that Polymarket functions more like a betting site than a neutral prediction market.
Argentina now joins countries like Colombia and Romania, which have also banned Polymarket over gambling concerns. Similar scrutiny is ongoing in parts of the U.S., especially around contracts tied to sensitive events.
