India blocks access to prediction market Polymarket

Polymarket has become inaccessible to users in India.

The government issued ordered internet providers and VPN firms to curb access to blocked betting and prediction platforms on April 25.

The ministry’s notice said Indian users were still reaching such services despite domestic prohibitions.

The government had issued a blocking order for Polymarket and was preparing one for Kalshi, a US prediction market regulated by the CFTC.

Prediction markets let users stake money on event outcomes.

India treats such activity as online money gaming while policymakers also tighten scrutiny of crypto through taxes and anti-money laundering rules.

🔗 Source: CoinDesk

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

India acted under The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act 2025 (PROGA), which took effect on May 1, 2026 and covers online money gaming 1.
The law now treats former “skill games” like Dream11’s fantasy cricket and Adda52’s poker as banned online money games, even when skill plays a role 1.
Indian operators including Probo and TradeX had already shut down after the law took hold 2.
Trading was still brisk before the clampdown. One Indian Premier League match on May 7 drew about US$27.7 million across Kalshi and Polymarket 3.

India joins a wider move by governments that treat these platforms as gambling.
Brazil blocked Kalshi. In the US, a bipartisan bill would ban event contracts that look like sports betting 1, 4.
That pressure is pushing prediction market companies to explain what role they serve.
The US Department of Justice charged a person with using classified intelligence to make money on Polymarket 5.
Kalshi and Polymarket now bar insider trading. The change cuts against their pitch that these markets quickly absorb new information 4, 5.