Nine European gambling authorities announced a coordinated initiative on Wednesday to regulate unlicensed prediction market platforms across the continent. The enforcement campaign launches ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and targets operators such as Polymarket and Kalshi.
The participating bodies from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland classify prediction platforms as unlicensed gambling activities. While the United States continues to debate whether these markets constitute gambling or financial instruments, European regulators treat the vertical as a gambling operation.
According to the joint regulatory statement, authorities are prioritising consumer protection and market integrity, particularly regarding round-the-clock platform access without mandatory betting limits or cooling-off periods. Officials also highlighted insufficient age and identity verification procedures, which raises safeguarding concerns for younger users.
Enforcement Measures and Industry Guidance
Regulators pledged to share information and coordinate monitoring of advertising compliance and betting integrity safeguards throughout the World Cup period. Planned actions include social media awareness campaigns, formal warnings, fines, advertising restrictions and account freezing, with a focus on platforms relying on offshore or decentralised crypto licences.
Sports federations, leagues and clubs were advised to verify the legal status of commercial partners before finalising sponsorship agreements.
Spain’s Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ) implemented a temporary block on Polymarket and Kalshi last month after confirming the platforms operated without required administrative licences. Similar geoblocking measures have been applied in other participating regions.
Source: Joint statement of the nine European gambling regulatory authorities.