Indonesia blocked access to Polymarket, after a market on whether President Prabowo Subianto would leave office early spread on social media.

The Communications and Digital Ministry said on May 22 that wagers on specific events remain illegal online gambling, even when presented as prediction markets.

The market went live on May 21, a day after Prabowo announced plans to tighten government control of major commodity exports. Polymarket’s website showed it had drawn more than US$44,000 in trading volume, and the end-December outcome had the highest implied probability, at 12%.

The ministry also said it would track social media accounts promoting the platform.

The move is part of a wider crackdown. The ministry tied the access block to the Electronic Information and Transactions Law, related regulations, and electronic system registration rules. It has also blocked gambling-linked social media accounts.

Polymarket already uses country-based geographic restrictions in some markets, but Indonesia was not listed among its blocked jurisdictions on that help-center page.

🔗 Source: Bloomberg

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