Date: March 17, 2026
Category: Legal & Enforcement
Summary:
In a significant legal development, an Argentine court has issued an order to completely block the prediction market platform Polymarket across the country. The ruling, which also requires Google and Apple to remove the platform’s app from their respective app stores, was made in response to a complaint from the Buenos Aires City Lottery. The court found that Polymarket was operating an unauthorized online gambling system under the guise of a “prediction market.” Prosecutors highlighted that the platform, which accepts cryptocurrency and credit card payments, did not require proper identity or age verification, allowing users to create accounts in minutes, which significantly increased the risk of underage participation. Despite the order, the service was reportedly still accessible to some users in Argentina as of Monday afternoon .
Key Insight:
- Market Impact: This action makes Argentina the second Latin American country, after Colombia, to impose a total ban on the platform, signaling a growing regulatory crackdown on unlicensed crypto-based prediction markets in the region.
