Polymarket Blacklisted in Romania
Romania’s National Gambling Office (ONJN) has placed Polymarket on its blacklist of unlicensed gambling operators. The decision follows a surge in activity on the crypto-based prediction platform during recent Romanian election periods, prompting regulators to take action to prevent unregulated betting in the country.
ONJN Moves to Restrict User Access
ONJN announced that the inclusion of Polymarket on the blacklist was approved on October 29. Internet service providers in Romania will now be required to block access to the platform within a set timeframe to prevent local users from continuing to place wagers.
Publicly available data on Polymarket indicated a dramatic rise in user participation during major Romanian political events. During the presidential elections, the total recorded transaction volume exceeded $600 million, while for Bucharest’s local elections, the volume surpassed $15 million.
Though transaction volume reflects the cumulative value of trades between users – rather than the amount staked once—regulators consider such figures evidence of large-scale, unlicensed gambling activity occurring outside fiscal and integrity controls.
Why ONJN Views Polymarket as Gambling
Romania’s regulator determined that Polymarket meets all criteria associated with counterparty betting. Users place monetary stakes on uncertain future outcomes and trade positions with other participants, while the platform intermediates and collects commissions.
Authorities dismiss arguments that Polymarket is merely a technology-driven prediction market, noting its core functionality does not differ significantly from traditional gambling products. The platform is therefore seen as offering betting services without a Romanian license.
International Enforcement Precedents
Polymarket has faced regulatory intervention in other jurisdictions as well. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) previously ordered the platform to stop serving U.S. users and imposed financial penalties. Similar blocking measures have also been enacted in several European Union countries, including Belgium, France and Poland, as well as Singapore and Thailand.
Under Emergency Ordinance No. 77/2009, participating in or promoting unlicensed gambling services constitutes a contravention in Romania. ONJN emphasized that all online gambling platforms must operate under valid authorization to ensure player protection, tax collection, and regulatory oversight.
Vlad-Cristian Soare underscored that the decision is based on regulatory obligations rather than technological innovation:
“The decision to include Polymarket on the blacklist has nothing to do with technology, but with the law. Regardless of whether you bet in Romanian lei or in crypto, if you stake money on a future outcome in a counterparty betting scenario, we are talking about gambling that must be licensed. ONJN will not allow blockchain to become a shield for illegal betting.”