Spain blocks Polymarket and Kalshi nationwide

Spain’s Directorate General for Gambling Regulation ordered nationwide blocks of the prediction-market platforms Polymarket and Kalshi after concluding they operated in Spain without the specific administrative authorization required to offer prediction-market services to Spanish users. The action was published in the Official State Gazette on Tuesday and is listed as a precautionary measure while disciplinary proceedings proceed.

The regulator expects the proceedings to last about three to four months. Under Spanish law, prediction markets are treated as a form of gambling when users place bets on uncertain future outcomes, and operators must hold an explicit administrative license to serve customers in the country.

The regulator cited the platforms’ lack of legally required consumer protections. Its findings say unauthorized operators typically do not implement identity verification systems, controls to prevent access by minors, or self-exclusion mechanisms that licensed gambling services must provide. The regulator described the block as needed to ensure those safeguards are in place while the case is adjudicated.

Spanish officials reported both companies could not be reached at their known addresses abroad for direct notification. Because the companies were not reachable, notice was served via publication in the Official State Gazette, a standard administrative procedure for notifying foreign entities when direct service is not possible.

The action follows similar measures in other countries. Indonesia ordered a block of Polymarket the day before Spain’s notice. In April, Brazilian authorities included both Kalshi and Polymarket in a ban covering roughly 28 platforms. Portuguese authorities ordered a block of Polymarket in January after a surge in bets on that country’s presidential election, and an Argentine court issued a nationwide block in March.

The disciplinary file opened by the regulator will determine whether further sanctions or requirements, such as obtaining a proper license or implementing specific consumer safeguards, are imposed. For now, access to Polymarket and Kalshi is restricted in Spain while the regulator completes its review.