Indonesia has blocked access to Polymarket as authorities expand enforcement against online betting, after a prediction market wager on the possible early end of President Prabowo Subianto’s term circulated widely on social media.
The Communications and Digital Ministry stated that platforms allowing wagers on specific event outcomes are considered gambling, even when disguised as “prediction markets”. This move comes as part of Indonesia's broader crackdown on online betting activities, aiming to regulate the industry more strictly.
Polymarket, a popular prediction market platform, faced the ban following the attention drawn by the bet regarding President Prabowo Subianto's tenure. The incident highlighted the challenges faced by such platforms operating in countries with stringent gambling regulations and government oversight.
