Financial and Business News

Dutch Regulator Shuts Polymarket Over Unlicensed Betting and Election Concerns

Wednesday, 18/02/2026 | 14:46 GMT by Tareq Sikder
  • The regulator orders Polymarket to stop unlicensed betting, warns of €840K maximum fines.
  • Meanwhile, prediction markets hit record $701.7 million daily volume despite growing regulatory pressure.
Netherlands, Amsterdam

The Dutch Gaming Authority has ordered Adventure One, which operates under the brand name Polymarket, to cease offering games of chance in the Netherlands because it has not obtained a Dutch gambling license.

The warning follows regulatory action in the United States. Tennessee’s Sports Wagering Council directed Kalshi, Polymarket, and Crypto.com to halt offering sports-related contracts. The regulator also ordered the platforms to void existing contracts and issue refunds.

The council said the companies lacked state gambling licenses and posed a public risk. Federal registration with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission does not exempt them from state rules. Noncompliance could lead to fines or criminal action.

Dutch Regulator Targets Polymarket Election Bets

Ella Seijsener, Director of Permits and Supervision at the Ksa
Ella Seijsener, Director of Permits and Supervision at the Ksa, Source: LinkedIn

Polymarket must stop its activities immediately. The Ksa said that if the company continues, it could face a penalty of €420,000 per week, up to a maximum of €840,000. A turnover-related fine may also be applied later, the authority reported.

Polymarket has argued that its prediction markets are not games of chance. The Ksa disagrees. The regulator said contact with the company over its activities has not led to any visible change, and the offer remains available.

Ella Seijsener, Director of Permits and Supervision at the Ksa, said that “prediction markets are on the rise, also in the Netherlands” but added that the type of business “offers bets that are not allowed in our market anyway, not even by licensees.”

She noted the social risks, including “the possible influence of elections.” She said the authority considers such platforms to be illegal gambling and emphasized that companies without a Ksa license “have nothing to do with our market,” including new types of gambling platforms.

Prediction Markets Reach Record $702 Million

Prediction markets have seen rapid growth in recent months. In January this year, they reached a record single-day volume of $701.7 million. Kalshi accounted for $465.9 million, while Polymarket and Opinion handled roughly $100 million combined.

Kalshi reported a total of $23.8 billion in trading volume for 2025. Some trades on Polymarket, including large political wagers, have raised concerns about potential insider activity. Access to these platforms is now restricted in over 30 countries, including the US and UK.

The Dutch Gaming Authority has ordered Adventure One, which operates under the brand name Polymarket, to cease offering games of chance in the Netherlands because it has not obtained a Dutch gambling license.

The warning follows regulatory action in the United States. Tennessee’s Sports Wagering Council directed Kalshi, Polymarket, and Crypto.com to halt offering sports-related contracts. The regulator also ordered the platforms to void existing contracts and issue refunds.

The council said the companies lacked state gambling licenses and posed a public risk. Federal registration with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission does not exempt them from state rules. Noncompliance could lead to fines or criminal action.

Dutch Regulator Targets Polymarket Election Bets

Ella Seijsener, Director of Permits and Supervision at the Ksa
Ella Seijsener, Director of Permits and Supervision at the Ksa, Source: LinkedIn

Polymarket must stop its activities immediately. The Ksa said that if the company continues, it could face a penalty of €420,000 per week, up to a maximum of €840,000. A turnover-related fine may also be applied later, the authority reported.

Polymarket has argued that its prediction markets are not games of chance. The Ksa disagrees. The regulator said contact with the company over its activities has not led to any visible change, and the offer remains available.

Ella Seijsener, Director of Permits and Supervision at the Ksa, said that “prediction markets are on the rise, also in the Netherlands” but added that the type of business “offers bets that are not allowed in our market anyway, not even by licensees.”

She noted the social risks, including “the possible influence of elections.” She said the authority considers such platforms to be illegal gambling and emphasized that companies without a Ksa license “have nothing to do with our market,” including new types of gambling platforms.

Prediction Markets Reach Record $702 Million

Prediction markets have seen rapid growth in recent months. In January this year, they reached a record single-day volume of $701.7 million. Kalshi accounted for $465.9 million, while Polymarket and Opinion handled roughly $100 million combined.

Kalshi reported a total of $23.8 billion in trading volume for 2025. Some trades on Polymarket, including large political wagers, have raised concerns about potential insider activity. Access to these platforms is now restricted in over 30 countries, including the US and UK.

Topics
Polymarket
retail
Netherlands
The Netherlands
About the Author: Tareq Sikder
Tareq Sikder
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A Forex technical analyst and writer who has been engaged in financial writing for 12 years.

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