Argentina Orders Nationwide Block of Polymarket Over Unlicensed Gambling Risks

Argentina has ordered a nationwide block on Polymarket, following a Buenos Aires court ruling. The decision directs ENACOM to restrict Polymarket’s app via Google and Apple and to have local ISPs block access for Argentina users, despite originating from a municipal court. Regulators argue Polymarket operates as unlicensed gambling because users stake money on uncertain outcomes and receive payouts tied to event resolution. They also cite weak user protections, including insufficient identity checks and age verification. A key new angle in the latest reporting is the focus on Polymarket’s inflation-related markets linked to official statistics. Authorities fear the platform could enable access to nonpublic or insider information and commercialize sensitive economic data, potentially distorting public perception. For crypto traders, this strengthens the compliance and legal-risk premium around crypto prediction markets. The most immediate risk is liquidity fragmentation and reduced accessibility in Argentina, which can weigh on sentiment toward prediction-market platforms—especially near-term as regulators increasingly judge “economic substance” over the crypto or technical design. Polymarket remains the central target of the action, and trading activity tied to it could face friction in the affected jurisdiction.