Indonesia has blocked access to crypto prediction market Polymarket after the platform listed a market on whether President Prabowo Subianto would leave office before his term ends in 2029. Authorities cited violations of the country’s online gambling restrictions.
Government Action and Rationale
Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Informatics (Kominfo) ordered local internet providers to restrict access to Polymarket, aligning with national laws that prohibit gambling, including event-based wagering conducted online. Kominfo routinely enforces these rules by blocking platforms that facilitate betting activities, a category that includes political prediction markets.
The Market at Issue
The disputed Polymarket listing allowed users to buy and sell outcome shares on whether President Prabowo, who began his five-year term in 2024, would leave office before 2029. Such markets function as binary wagers whose prices reflect the crowd-implied probability of an event, with settlements determined by publicly verifiable outcomes.
Legal Context in Indonesia
Gambling is illegal in Indonesia under the criminal code and is further regulated online through the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) framework. Kominfo has broad authority to block websites and applications that host or promote prohibited content, including online betting, and has taken similar actions against numerous gambling sites in recent years.
About Polymarket and Regulatory Scrutiny
Polymarket is a crypto-based prediction market that enables trading on real-world events using smart contracts. The platform has faced regulatory scrutiny globally; in 2022, it settled charges with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission for offering event-based binary options without proper registration and paid a civil penalty, after which it restricted access for U.S. users. The Indonesian block underscores ongoing jurisdictional challenges for prediction markets operating across borders.