Authorities in Argentina ordered a nationwide block on prediction market platform Polymarket after a ruling by Buenos Aires Judge Susana Parada on March 16, Clarín reports (https://www.clarin.com/sociedad/bloquearon-argentina-acceso-polymarket-polemica-plataforma-mercados-prediccion-grande-mundo_0_kAi0v9QDXu.html).
ENACOM, the agency overseeing telecoms, broadcasting, internet, radio and postal services, must implement the measure through ISPs and app stores, preventing access to the platform on Android and iOS.
The decision follows Polymarket’s accurate prediction of February inflation data before INDEC’s publication, which drew scrutiny from authorities and journalists (https://twitter.com/andreslerner90/status/2032240397435461955?s=20).
Data analysis flagged small but unusually timed wagers from accounts that normally trade minimal amounts, raising suspicions of insider activity (https://www.dlnews.com/articles/markets/concerns-argentina-insider-inflation-bets-polymarket/).
Complaints from LOTBA (Buenos Aires City’s lottery authority) and CASCBA (the national gambling industry association), supported by investigations by FEJA (the city’s gambling prosecutor) and CIJ (the Public Prosecutor’s Office’s technical investigative branch), found the platform operated as an unauthorized online betting system, Clarín says.
The court noted Polymarket allowed easy account creation, accepted crypto and credit cards, and lacked age verification, increasing risks for minors.
Supporters say the move protects users; critics warn it limits access to global prediction tools. Argentina is the second Latin American country to impose a full ban after Colombia’s regulator Coljuegos declared Polymarket illegal without a license in September 2025 and instructed ISPs to block it.
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