Polymarket tightens access as regulatory pressure mounts

Faced with looming regulatory scrutiny, the prediction platform Polymarket has begun blocking VPN-linked IP addresses to enforce regional access restrictions. The move signals a departure from the site's long-standing model of anonymous trading, as the company scrambles to comply with international sanctions and local market regulations.

The platform, which is currently prohibited in 33 countries, previously allowed users to bypass geographical blocks using virtual private networks. According to reports from The Information, the company is now actively flagging suspicious connection patterns and requiring some users to provide identity verification to maintain trading access. This shift effectively dismantles the anonymity that defined the platform's early growth.

Regulators have long viewed decentralized prediction markets as a legal gray area. By cracking down on location masking, Polymarket appears to be preempting potential enforcement actions that could threaten its operations in lucrative markets. The pivot coincides with a broader global trend of legislative attempts to limit VPN utility, ranging from age-verification requirements in the United Kingdom to specific content restrictions in the United States.