Regulator restricts online access to Polymarket prediction platform in Ukraine
The Polymarket domain has been added to the open register of prohibited Internet resources due to its lack of a license to conduct gambling business, the relevant resolution of the National Commission for Regulation of Electronic Communications and Postal Services has come into force, the regulator said in a statement.
It is noted that providers of electronic communications services must restrict access to websites used to organize, conduct or provide access to gambling without the appropriate license.
Founded in 2020, Polymarket allows users to place cryptocurrency bets on the outcomes of various events, ranging from politics and sports to popular culture. The company is privately held, and its investors include Peter Thiel’s venture capital firm, Founders Fund.
As reported, the company drew media attention last year due to betting on the outcome of the U.S. presidential election and its accurate prediction of Donald Trump’s victory. Trading volume for contracts related to that event on the Polymarket platform exceeded $2 billion.
Polymarket is banned in several countries as an unlicensed offshore gambling platform. Access to the platform has been officially closed to U.S. users since 2022 as part of a settlement with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission during Joe Biden’s presidency. The CFTC accused Polymarket of failing to properly register with the agency.
Polymarket’s relations with U.S. authorities improved under the Trump administration. In August this year, 1789 Capital, a company linked to Donald Trump Jr., became an investor in the firm.
In addition, Polymarket acquired a small U.S.-licensed exchange and clearing company as part of efforts to return to the American market. In July, the U.S. Department of Justice and the CFTC dropped their investigations into Polymarket.
According to Forbes Ukraine, as of Dec. 24, 2025, about 240 bets related to Ukraine had been settled on the platform, totaling more than $270 million, while 120 active bets amounted to more than $140 million.