The General Directorate of National Lottery Administration blocked access from Türkiye to Polymarket, where users deposit money on the results of politics, sports and current developments. Freedom of Expression Association, the decision dated 16 July 2026 and numbered 2026/10 He announced that it was based on the decision of the General Directorate of National Lottery Administration. The institution evaluated the platform within the scope of illegal betting. Thus, Türkiye joined the countries that impose access restrictions on prediction markets.
Polymarket argues that it uses a different market model than a classic betting site. On the platform, users buy and sell shares with other users that represent whether a real-world event will occur or not. Price of each share 0 to 1 dollar It varies between and reflects the probability that the market gives to the relevant outcome. Transactions are concluded through smart contracts on the blockchain.
Users can open transactions on many topics, from election results to sports events, from economic data to weather events. When an outcome occurs, the shares representing the correct option gain value while the other shares lose their value. Although this structure is called the prediction market, regulatory authorities may consider users investing in uncertain outcomes to make money as gambling or betting activity.
In the first news regarding the access decision in Türkiye, it is stated that the obstacle is directly based on the decision of the National Lottery Administration. Current statements do not provide details on whether the decision covers only the home page or the different domain names used by the platform. Polymarket has not yet shared a public statement about the Türkiye decision.
France cited user losses and risk of manipulation
France also took a similar step towards Polymarket. French National Gambling Authority, On July 16, 2026 instructed internet service providers to block access to Polymarket’s website. The French regulator suggested that the platform could expose users to serious gambling losses and that some markets could be susceptible to manipulation.
French authorities plan to maintain the access blockade until Polymarket complies with the country’s gambling regulations. European countries such as Spain and the Czech Republic have also taken restrictive steps against Polymarket or similar prediction markets in 2026. These decisions make more visible the legal distinction between platforms defining themselves as financial transaction markets and countries viewing them as betting activities.
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