The Dutch gambling regulator, Kansspelautoriteit, has ordered the prediction market platform Polymarket to cease operations in the Netherlands. The authority concluded that Polymarket, operated by Adventure One QSS Inc., functions as an unlicensed betting service under Dutch law.
Regulators confirmed that Dutch users could create accounts, deposit funds, and place wagers on various markets, including political outcomes, without a local gambling license. The Kansspelautoriteit determined this violates the Dutch Gambling Act's prohibition on offering games of chance without authorization.
Polymarket has been given four weeks to stop providing services to Dutch users. Failure to comply will result in penalties of €420,000 per week, with a maximum fine of €840,000.
The regulator rejected Polymarket's claim that its platform operates as financial prediction markets, stating that payouts depend on uncertain external events, thus meeting the statutory definition of a game of chance. This action follows scrutiny of Polymarket and similar platforms in multiple countries.