In this guide
Key takeaway: Polymarket operates legally and can be accessed throughout most of the world, though it occupies uncertain regulatory territory in numerous regions. Users from the United States face restrictions. Review the gambling and financial regulations applicable to your location before you begin trading.
Is Polymarket legal? The response varies depending on your location. Because Polymarket functions as a decentralised blockchain-based protocol, no single jurisdiction governs its operations — yet this does not exempt users from complying with their national legal frameworks.
United States — Blocked
Polymarket is unavailable to residents and citizens of the United States. Following a $1.4 million settlement with the CFTC in 2022 over the provision of unregistered event derivatives, Polymarket exited the American market and enforces geoblocking of US-based internet addresses. Circumventing this restriction through a VPN breaches Polymarket's user agreement.
United Kingdom — Grey zone
Britain's Gambling Commission has neither formally authorised nor prohibited prediction markets such as Polymarket. The platform remains freely accessible to UK users, though they operate without formal regulatory safeguards. Any earnings must be reported in accordance with HMRC tax rules.
Germany — Grey zone
Germany's Glücksspielstaatsvertrag (GlüStV 2021) oversees internet gambling activities. Prediction markets occupy an unclear position within this regulatory framework — they are neither formally authorised nor expressly forbidden. German participants can use Polymarket without impediment, though potential legal exposure remains. Consult our comprehensive German legal guide for further details.
Canada — Accessible
Canada does not impose a national-level ban on consumer participation in prediction markets. Gambling rules differ between provinces, yet Polymarket remains broadly available and is actively used by Canadian market participants.
Australia — Grey zone
Australia's Interactive Gambling Act concentrates its enforcement on platform operators rather than individual users. Australians can access Polymarket with relatively modest legal concern, though full regulatory clarity has not yet emerged.
⚠️ This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws change frequently — consult a local lawyer for guidance specific to your situation.
Tax obligations everywhere
Across virtually all jurisdictions, trading income must be reported to tax authorities. The UK may levy Capital Gains Tax on your returns. Germany imposes income tax on such earnings. Maintain comprehensive records of all your transactions at all times.
PolyGram supplies a downloadable transaction history feature to streamline your tax filing process. Start trading on PolyGram →