A court in Buenos Aires has ordered Polymarket blocked across Argentina. The order mandates a nationwide ISP block and the removal of its app from Google and Apple stores. Prosecutors labeled the platform a “concealed online betting system” lacking proper age verification. This action follows a global regulatory crackdown on prediction markets, which face legal challenges in numerous countries including the United States.
A Buenos Aires court has ordered telecom authorities to block access to prediction market platform Polymarket across Argentina. The order also requires the removal of its mobile application from the Google Play and Apple App Store within the country.
Judge Susana Parada issued the ruling following an investigation led by prosecutor Juan Rozas. The case was initiated after action by Buenos Aires city gambling regulators who argued the service was operating without proper authorization.
Prosecutors argued that Polymarket functioned as “a concealed online betting system.” They concluded that “anyone – including children and adolescents – could access the platform and begin betting without any kind of control.”
The decision surfaced publicly during heightened scrutiny of prediction-market trading linked to Argentina’s February inflation release. Contract activity accelerated shortly before the official data print, sparking speculation about potential early access to the index.
This nationwide block is the latest in a wave of regulatory pushback targeting prediction markets. Platforms including Polymarket and Kalshi face legal or regulatory challenges in jurisdictions including Germany, Italy, Australia, and Singapore.
In the United States, prediction markets are caught in an ongoing legal battle with state gaming regulators. This persists despite a 2024 federal ruling which established that event contracts aren’t inherently gambling under federal law.
Former Interim CFTC Chair Caroline Pham argued that “I 100% think it’s going to go to the Supreme Court.” The tension between state regulators and federal jurisdiction is likely to escalate further.
