Polymarket in India: is it blocked? Status in 2026

India blocked Polymarket in May 2026 (Section 69A of the IT Act), within the framework of the law banning online money games, whose rules took effect on 1 May; in October 2026 Polymarket's X account was also withheld in India. We publish no sign-up links for India.

What the law changed

India's Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 received presidential assent in August 2025. It prohibits online money games and restricts advertising and facilitating them. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued the implementing rules on 22 April 2026, and they took effect on 1 May 2026. Indian authorities classify prediction markets as prohibited under this framework.

On 25 April 2026, a MeitY advisory named Polymarket among the prediction market and betting platforms blocked under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, the provision that lets the government restrict access to online content.

How the block works in practice

Internet providers applied DNS-level blocks to polymarket.com on 21 and 22 May 2026, so the site stops loading on networks that comply. The Online Gaming Authority of India has also instructed app stores, payment providers and telecom operators to disable money games and related promotions, and MeitY has warned that intermediaries facilitating prohibited services risk losing their safe-harbour protection under Section 79 of the IT Act.

The measures widened in October 2026. From 22 October, Polymarket's official X account shows a notice saying it has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand, while it stays visible elsewhere. Neither MeitY nor Polymarket has explained the legal basis for that order.

What it means for users, and what is still open

This is a government block, not a Polymarket one: India does not appear on Polymarket's published list of restricted countries. The source does not cite fines or criminal penalties for individual users; the law is aimed at offering, promoting and facilitating money games.

Indian courts have not yet ruled on whether decentralised prediction markets should be treated differently from traditional betting, so current practice rests on administrative orders. We will update this page if a court rules or MeitY changes course.

Frequently asked questions

Does Polymarket work in India?

India blocked Polymarket in May 2026 (Section 69A of the IT Act), within the framework of the law banning online money games, whose rules took effect on 1 May; in October 2026 Polymarket's X account was also withheld in India. We publish no sign-up links for India.

Is Polymarket legal in India?

It is not available: Government of India (MeitY, Section 69A of the IT Act) restricts it. We publish no sign-up links and do not recommend bypassing blocks.

How do I deposit from India?

Not applicable while the country is restricted.

Sources

• https://www.medianama.com/2026/10/223-polymarket-x-account-blocked-india/

Reviewed on October 25, 2026.