The Czech Ministry of Finance now has Polymarket on its list of prohibited online gambling services and has instructed internet service providers (ISPs) to make the service inaccessible within the next 15 days as mandated by Czech legislation.
The ministry has stated that the decision follows similar actions taken by other countries in Europe, establishing that Polymarket is illegal performing gambling services.
According to the statement from the ministry, Polymarket is to handle approximately US$220 million in trades in 2025 and therefore requires regulation.
Jan Řehola, Director of the Institute for Gambling Regulation, said prediction markets should be regulated in the same way as traditional betting products.
He added:
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. Player protection, the prevention of money laundering and effective market supervision must not depend on what an operator chooses to call its product.
Řehola emphasized that this decision is “not about hindering innovation” but about introducing the standards for равные operators, including player protection, money laundering and regulatory oversight measures.
The Czech Republic is joining the list of other European countries such as Germany, Belgium, Romania, Switzerland, Poland, Greece, Cyprus, Portugal, Spain, Ukraine and Netherlands where the access to Polymarket has been blocked.
