Dutch regulator orders Polymarket to halt operations or face €840,000 penalty

The Dutch gambling regulator, Kansspelautoriteit, has ordered Polymarket to stop offering its services in the Netherlands, concluding the platform operates unlicensed games of chance under Dutch law.

In a public decision dated January 20, 2026, the authority found that Adventure One QSS Inc., identified as the operator of polymarket.com, allowed Dutch users to register, deposit funds and place wagers without holding a local gambling license nether.

Regulators confirmed from a Dutch IP address that users could create accounts, deposit €10 through a Dutch bank via Mastercard and place bets on political markets, including outcomes tied to Dutch elections.

The Kansspelautoriteit determined that the platform violates Article 1(1)(a) of the Dutch Gambling Act, which prohibits offering games of chance without a license. Polymarket has four weeks to cease access from the Netherlands or face penalties of €420,000 per week, capped at €840,000.

The regulator rejected Polymarket’s argument that its products function as financial prediction markets rather than gambling. It said payouts depend on uncertain external events beyond participants’ control, meeting the statutory definition of a game of chance.

Polymarket and similar platforms have faced scrutiny or enforcement in US states, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Singapore, Portugal, Hungary, Thailand and now the Netherlands.