India moves to block Polymarket and Kalshi under online money gaming ban

India is enforcing its new online gaming framework against global prediction market platforms, with Polymarket already inaccessible to many local users and Kalshi reportedly facing a similar blocking order.

India has moved to enforce its ban on online money games against global prediction market platforms, targeting Polymarket and Kalshi as part of a broader crackdown on real-money event trading. The action follows the entry into force of India’s new online gaming framework, which prohibits the offering, operation, facilitation, advertisement and participation in online money games through digital platforms, especially where such services operate across state borders or from foreign jurisdictions.

Polymarket has already gone dark for users in India, with local access reportedly failing after a blocking order from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Kalshi, the US-regulated prediction market platform, is also expected to face a similar restriction, according to Indian and international media reports.

The move is important because Indian authorities appear to be treating prediction markets as a form of prohibited online money gaming rather than as financial forecasting tools or derivatives-style platforms. Under this approach, the legal status of a platform abroad does not protect it from Indian restrictions if users in India can stake money on uncertain outcomes.

Prediction markets allow users to trade contracts linked to real-world events, including elections, sports, economics, geopolitics and entertainment. Supporters describe them as tools for aggregating public expectations, while regulators increasingly view them as betting products when users risk money for a payout based on event outcomes. In India’s case, the decisive factor appears to be the real-money element.

The enforcement action also follows earlier concern that platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi remained accessible to Indian users even after the new restrictions took effect. Indian reports said users were still able to sign up and trade on prediction markets, creating pressure for more direct technical blocking.

The crackdown may also affect intermediaries. Recent reporting said Indian authorities had warned VPN providers and other digital intermediaries that they must make reasonable efforts to prevent access to banned betting and prediction platforms, or risk losing legal safe-harbour protections.

For global prediction market operators, India’s action is a strong regulatory signal. The country is not making a clear distinction between sports betting, casino-style games and event-contract platforms when real money is involved. For users, the impact is immediate: access may become unreliable or blocked, and participation could fall within prohibited online money gaming activity.

For the wider iGaming and fintech sectors, the case shows how prediction markets are entering a more difficult global regulatory phase. Even platforms regulated in another jurisdiction may be blocked if local authorities classify their products as gambling, betting or prohibited money gaming. India’s decision could therefore influence how other large markets approach cross-border prediction platforms.