Romania adds Polymarket to blacklist for unauthorised gambling

• Romania’s National Gambling Office (ONJN) has blacklisted Polymarket for operating without a local licence.
• Internet access to Polymarket in Romania will be restricted following this regulatory order.
• The move follows a spike in crypto betting activities during recent national elections.

Romania’s National Gambling Office formally included Polymarket, a prominent blockchain-based prediction market, on its blacklist of unauthorised gambling sites at the end of October.

The regulator determined that Polymarket was operating without the required gambling licence, prompting internet providers across Romania to block access to the platform.​

Regulator targets unlicensed crypto betting

ONJN’s decision comes after a surge in cryptocurrency betting volumes was observed, particularly during Romania’s local and national elections.

According to official statements, Polymarket’s overall trading volume recently exceeded $600 million, with more than $16 million wagered on predictions tied to the Bucharest mayoral race alone.

Regulators emphasised that while the technology used by Polymarket involves blockchain and digital currencies, the service’s core activity—peer-to-peer betting on the outcome of future events—meets the legal definition of gambling that requires state licensing.​

“The decision to include Polymarket on the blacklist is not related to technology, but to the law,” ONJN President Vlad-Cristian Soare said in a statement.

“Regardless of whether you bet in lei or crypto, if you bet money on a future result, under the conditions of a counterpart bet, we are talking about gambling that must be licensed.

“The ONJN will not permit the use of blockchain as a guise for illicit betting activities,” Soare concluded.​

Enforcement and sector impact

Polymarket is now one of 30 sites recently barred from operating in Romania as regulators seek to tighten enforcement of national gambling laws. Service providers must redirect users attempting to access blacklisted platforms to an ONJN site confirming the block.

Operators placed on the blacklist can appeal through the Bucharest Court of Appeal, though most challenges are reportedly lengthy and costly.​

The regulatory clampdown follows findings by Romania’s Court of Accounts revealing that weak sector oversight may have led to as much as one billion dollars in unreported licence and authorisation fees between 2019 and 2023. This has triggered debates over stricter regulation and spending limits for players.​

International precedent and future outlook

Polymarket has faced similar restrictions elsewhere. In 2022, the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission imposed penalties for unlicensed activities, while French regulators began reviewing the platform last year.

The Romanian move reflects a broader trend across Europe and globally to bring blockchain-based gambling and prediction markets in line with established legal standards.​

By acting against unlicensed platforms, Romanian authorities aim to protect consumers and reinforce the credibility of licensed operators. As other jurisdictions carry out similar crackdowns, operators will need to adapt quickly to local compliance requirements or risk exclusion.