Indonesia Blocks Polymarket Website for Online Gambling Activities

The Indonesian government, through the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Kemkomdigi), has taken decisive action by blocking the website www.polymarket.com, identifying it as a platform for illegal online gambling. This move reflects the government's firm stance against all forms of online gambling within the country, emphasizing its commitment to protecting citizens, particularly the younger generation, from the detrimental effects of such activities.

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This is to comprehensively restrict and block access across various platforms.

Director General of Digital Space Supervision at Kemkomdigi, Alexander Sabar, clarified that platforms enabling monetary bets on uncertain outcomes, regardless of their technological sophistication like blockchain or cryptocurrency, are classified as illegal gambling. He stressed that Polymarket's operations, which involve speculation on future events with financial stakes, directly contravene Indonesian law. This clear demarcation aims to prevent the proliferation of gambling disguised as legitimate prediction markets.

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This platform facilitates bets based on money for a certain outcome or event, and it is still categorized as online gambling.

Kemkomdigi's proactive approach includes tracing and blocking affiliated social media accounts to ensure comprehensive containment. This comprehensive strategy underscores the ministry's dedication to safeguarding the national digital space. The government's message is unequivocal: Indonesia will not provide any room for online gambling, reinforcing its role as a protector of public morality and order in the digital age. This action is a strong signal to other platforms that may attempt to circumvent regulations.

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Activities like Polymarket contain elements of money betting and speculation on an event whose outcome is uncertain, thus contradicting the prevailing laws in Indonesia.