The Czech Ministry of Finance placed the prediction market platform Polymarket on its list of unauthorized internet games on Tuesday. Internet service providers across the country must block access to the site within 15 days under national law.
The ministry cited research projecting Polymarket to process $220 billion in trading volume during 2025, with monthly turnover reaching $10 billion to $11 billion. Jan Řehola, director of the Institute for Gambling Regulation, stated that the platform operates as a betting service and requires formal oversight. He noted that prediction markets often lack state accountability and standard player protection measures.
"If something looks like a bet, functions like a bet and allows people to win or lose money depending on the outcome of an uncertain event, we cannot stop treating it as gambling simply because it is called a contract," Řehola said. The regulator added that the platform's decentralized blockchain structure prioritizes global access while limiting identity verification.
The block aims to apply uniform financial rules rather than restrict new market models.