Czech Republic Places Polymarket on Illegal Gambling Register, Gives ISPs 15 Days to Block Access

According to BlockBeats, the Czech Republic has moved to block access to Polymarket, citing "unlicensed gambling." On July 13, the Ministry of Finance added the platform to its list of unauthorized online games and ordered domestic internet service providers to restrict access within 15 days. Jan Řehola, head of the Czech gambling regulator, said the licensed market allows the state to identify operators and participants and to flag suspicious bets. He argued that prediction markets, while structured differently, effectively enable wagering on almost any outcome—from weather and political decisions to security operations—without a dedicated regulatory framework. The regulator noted that restrictions across the EU have expanded in recent months, with pressure building further this month. Italy has restored Polymarket to its blocklist, and authorities in the Netherlands have rejected the platform's appeal. Also this month, the EU's securities regulator ESMA warned that event contracts deemed financial instruments fall under existing binary options rules, which prohibit sales to retail investors. Some jurisdictions are moving in the opposite direction. Gibraltar this week introduced what it described as the world's first regulatory framework tailored specifically to prediction markets, separating the sector from general gambling laws and permitting licensed operations. Malta has signaled it is exploring a similar approach.