Ukraine Bans Polymarket Citing Illegal Gambling Concerns

Ukraine Enforces Ban on Polymarket

Ukraine’s National Commission responsible for regulating electronic communications has mandated internet providers to block access to Polymarket within the country. The decision classifies the platform’s activities as illegal gambling according to Ukrainian law.

Legal Basis and Scope of the Ban

The ban, enacted under Resolution No. 695, targets platforms that facilitate betting or betting-like behavior without being part of the nation’s authorized gambling framework. Consequently, the website polymarket.com was added to Ukraine’s official list of blocked domains.

While Polymarket differs from traditional sportsbooks by not offering fixed odds, regulators argue this distinction is mainly technical. The platform allows trading in shares associated with specific outcomes, with prices reflecting the market’s inferred probabilities.

Authorities contend this method effectively constitutes gambling when conducted without regulatory approval, particularly concerning sensitive topics such as the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine. With this action, Ukraine joins 33 countries that have restricted Polymarket, including major European Union nations like France, Germany, and Italy, as well as the United States.

Polymarket’s Regulatory Challenges and U.S. Developments

Polymarket exited the U.S. market in 2022 after settling Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) allegations with a $1.4 million penalty. However, the company has since pursued a return by acquiring QCX LLC and obtaining a designated contract market license to operate a limited exchange domestically.

Controversy Over Ukraine War-Related Bets

In relation to the conflict in Ukraine, reports show that trading volume connected to war-related events exceeded $100 million by late 2025. Several prediction markets, including Polymarket, have faced criticism for turning this tragic situation into subjects for speculative betting. Users place wagers on probabilities of military actions such as missile strikes or offensives at particular front lines.

This has led to heightened attention from regulators concerned about the legal, ethical, and national security implications of such betting activities.

Global Regulatory Responses to Polymarket

Ukraine is among several countries imposing restrictions or issuing warnings regarding Polymarket’s operations amid worries that its markets constitute unlicensed gambling. European regulators in particular have questioned whether trading contracts based on events like elections or armed conflicts violate gambling or financial regulations and raise moral concerns.