Ukraine Restricts Access to Polymarket Over Licensing Concerns

Ukrainian authorities have restricted access to the prediction market platform Polymarket, citing the absence of a recognized gambling license. The National Commission for the State Regulation of Communications and Informatization issued the blocking order under a formal resolution, according to Forbes.

The regulator classified Polymarket’s activities as unlicensed gambling and added the platform’s domain to Ukraine’s public register of prohibited internet resources. Electronic communications providers were instructed to limit access to online services involved in organizing or facilitating unauthorized gambling.

Implementation of the block has been uneven. Some users in Ukraine report being unable to access the platform, while others continue to reach it without restrictions.

The move comes as Polymarket re-establishes operations in the United States. The platform had shifted offshore in 2022 following regulatory pressure related to unregistered event-based derivatives. It recently launched its first U.S. mobile application, offering real-money sports markets under Commodity Futures Trading Commission oversight. The relaunch followed a CFTC no-action letter issued to a crypto derivatives exchange and clearinghouse acquired by Polymarket, allowing event contracts to be offered within a regulated framework.

Despite the Ukrainian restrictions, activity on the platform has remained significant. As of December 24, approximately 240 Ukraine-related markets had been settled, with total volumes exceeding $270 million. More than 120 active markets linked to Ukraine reportedly account for over $140 million in open positions.

Regulatory scrutiny has also emerged elsewhere in Europe. Romania’s National Office for Gambling has ordered local internet service providers to block Polymarket, stating that the platform operates without a gambling license. The authority said Polymarket’s peer-to-peer structure meets Romania’s legal definition of gambling and lacks required safeguards for responsible gaming and anti-money laundering.