The Netherlands Gambling Authority has ordered Polymarket to stop offering its prediction-market betting services in the country, saying the platform is providing unlicensed gambling to Dutch residents.
The regulator imposed an order subject to a penalty on Polymarket’s parent company, Adventure One QSS Inc., meaning Polymarket faces €420,000 per week if it does not cease activities, capped at €840,000.
Why the Ksa says prediction markets are illegal gambling
According to the KSA, Polymarket’s contracts are not treated as a financial exchange product under Dutch rules but as gambling: users stake money on objectively uncertain outcomes. The authority says that makes the offering illegal without a Dutch licence.
The KSA also stressed that some of these wagers would not be permitted in the Dutch market under any circumstances, even for licensed operators, and pointed to broader societal risks such as potential influence around elections.
Timeline, enforcement, and what happens next
The underlying enforcement decision dates to 20 January 2026, and the Ksa says it moved forward after earlier contact produced no visible change and the offering remained accessible.
Dutch media report Polymarket was given a four-week window to comply; with that period now elapsed, the regulator says it can start collecting the penalty payments. The Ksa has also indicated a turnover-based fine could follow later.
Source: https://www.casinonieuws.nl/online/last-onder-dwangsom-voor-polymarket/
