Hungary temporarily blocks access to polymarket over alleged illegal gambling

On 16 January 2026, Hungary’s Supervisory Authority for Regulated Activities (SZTFH) issued a temporary order requiring domestic internet service providers block access to the blockchain‑based prediction market Polymarket. The measure affects users connecting from Hungarian IP addresses and applies to the platform’s main domain and all subdomains (polymarket.com).

The SZTFH launched the administrative procedure on the basis of suspected illegal gambling, and has targeted Adventure One Qss Inc. as the operator, according to the published decision. The authority acted under its statutory powers to restrict access to electronic data while an administrative gambling‑related investigation is ongoing.

Scope of the restriction

The access block is expressly temporary, remaining in place only until a final administrative decision is rendered by the authority. During this period:

• The domain polymarket.com and its subdomains must remain inaccessible from Hungary.
• The restriction applies solely to Hungarian‑based IP addresses.
• Access from abroad or via VPN remains unaffected, meaning that users outside Hungary or those technically bypassing geolocation can still reach the site.

Regulatory context

The SZTFH’s decision is the latest example of Hungary’s increasingly assertive regulatory posture toward blockchain‑based platforms, particularly those offering services considered analogous to gambling but operating without a local licence.

Polymarket, like other prediction markets built on decentralised technologies, raises longstanding regulatory questions around:

• Characterisation of prediction markets as gambling;
• Jurisdiction over offshore blockchain services;
• Enforcement against decentralised or globally accessible platforms.

The Hungarian authority has signalled through several recent actions that such services are unlikely to be tolerated without formal authorisation, even where operators are based abroad or leverage decentralised infrastructure.

Implications for operators and users

For operators

The case highlights the growing willingness of national regulators to:

• Assert jurisdiction over offshore blockchain platforms;
• Impose swift, interim access restrictions;
• Treat prediction market activity as unlicensed gambling when local regulatory approvals are not in place.

This suggests that blockchain‑based platforms offering market‑style betting or forecasting services should anticipate more proactive enforcement in Hungary, and possibly across the region.

For users

Hungarian users attempting to access Polymarket will encounter network‑level blocking until the authority concludes its investigation. The measure, however, does not affect access from outside Hungary nor does it extend to technological workarounds such as VPN use.

Next steps

A final administrative decision from the SZTFH is still pending. While, in theory, several outcomes remain possible (including the lifting of the temporary block) enforcement trends suggest that the authority may ultimately take a firmer position where unlicensed gambling activity is identified. In practice, this could mean that the current restriction will remain in place. Further regulatory measures may be applied, depending on the authority’s final assessment of Polymarket’s activities. The possibility of the block being removed cannot be entirely excluded at this stage.

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