Argentina Halts Polymarket Operations Over License Dispute

TLDR

• Argentina ordered a nationwide block on Polymarket after a Buenos Aires court ruling.
• Judge Susana Parada directed ENACOM to enforce the restriction through internet providers.
• Authorities said Polymarket operated as an unlicensed gambling platform in Argentina.
• The court instructed Apple and Google to remove the app from local stores.
• Reports showed Polymarket displayed a 2.9% inflation figure before INDEC released official data.

Argentina ordered a nationwide block on Polymarket after a Buenos Aires court ruled against the platform. Judge Susana Parada issued the decision on March 16, and authorities moved quickly to enforce it. The ruling requires internet providers and app stores to restrict access across the country.

The telecom regulator ENACOM must implement the order through ISPs and digital platforms. As a result, users on Android and iOS can no longer access the application. Authorities said the platform operated without proper authorization under local gambling laws.

Argentina Blocks Polymarket Over Unauthorized Gambling Claims

The case started after complaints from the Buenos Aires City Lottery, known as LOTBA, and the Argentine Chamber of Casinos, CASCBA. Officials argued that Polymarket functioned as an unlicensed betting platform within Argentina. Therefore, prosecutors from FEJA opened an investigation under Judge Parada’s supervision.

Investigators said the platform allowed users to create accounts within minutes and trade using crypto assets and credit cards. They also stated that Polymarket lacked identity and age verification systems. The court said these features increased risks for minors and enabled unregulated gambling activity.

Judge Parada ordered ENACOM to block the platform nationwide without delay. The court also directed Apple and Google to remove the application from their stores in Argentina. Authorities said the order applies even to users who already downloaded the app.

Inflation Data Leak and Regulatory Action in Argentina

The ruling followed controversy over Argentina’s February inflation data. Reports showed that Polymarket displayed a 2.9% inflation figure minutes before INDEC released official data. This timing raised questions about possible insider information and data misuse.

Data analysis revealed small but precisely timed wagers from accounts that usually placed minimal trades. Officials said these patterns created suspicion of insider activity. Clarín reported that authorities and journalists reviewed the unusual trading behavior.

Authorities stated that the early inflation figure increased pressure to act against crypto-based betting platforms. They said the platform’s structure enabled fast trading without strict oversight. ENACOM now oversees the enforcement process with telecom operators.

Argentina became the second Latin American country to impose a full block on Polymarket. Colombia previously ordered a nationwide restriction through its regulator Coljuegos in September 2025. Coljuegos declared that the platform operated without a required license.

Officials confirmed that Polymarket now faces full restrictions in at least 34 countries. Meanwhile, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission dropped a 2024 draft rule targeting political prediction markets. The CFTC has not announced new enforcement measures against Polymarket.

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