Australia Issues Ban on Polymarket, Adding to ACMA's List of Restricted Entities
In a move to protect Australians from illegal online gambling, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has banned the cryptocurrency-based prediction market platform Polymarket. The decision comes after an investigation that found Polymarket targeting Australians, including through TikTok promotions, despite lacking an Australian gambling license.
Polymarket, which allows participants to predict the outcomes of various future events, such as sports games, political elections, and legal decisions, was found to be in violation of Australia's Interactive Gambling Act 2001. The Act prohibits unlicensed interactive gambling services being offered to Australians.
The ban was enacted by the ACMA requesting internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to the platform in Australia. The decision to ban Polymarket is part of a broader enforcement initiative under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, which has seen over 1,200 illegal gambling sites blocked since 2019.
The trigger for the investigation was a media report that uncovered illegal TikTok influencer promotions for betting on Polymarket. Despite the backlash, Polymarket did not remove the betting contracts related to the sex toy-throwing incidents at WNBA games.
The latest banned websites include Slot Mafia, Top Aussie Pokies, Polymarket, and Spinanga. Polymarket's offerings have attracted rapid growth due to their engaging nature, but the platform's illegality in Australia has left it without a public comment on the ACMA's decision.
Website blocking is one of the enforcement options the ACMA can use to protect Australians from illegal online gambling. Since 2019, approximately 220 illegal services have willingly departed from the Australian market once the ACMA started enforcing Australia's latest online gambling ruleset. The ACMA has also concluded that even legitimate-looking online casinos are illegal and unlikely to have important customer protections.
This reflects Australia’s strict regulatory stance on online gambling services, especially unlicensed and crypto-based platforms that circumvent domestic laws. The ACMA's decision to ban these websites is a result of investigations that found the services in question to be operating in violation of Australia's Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
| Issue | Explanation | |-------|-------------| | Legal basis for ban | Breach of Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (unlicensed online gambling offering) | | Reason for illegality | Targeting Australian users with unlicensed crypto-prediction gambling | | How the ban was enacted | ACMA requested ISPs to block Polymarket access in Australia | | Trigger for investigation | Media report uncovered illegal TikTok influencer promotions for betting | | Polymarket’s response | No public comment yet on ACMA’s decision |
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