Is Polymarket Legal in Ireland?
Ireland’s new gambling regulatory framework requires online bookmakers to obtain a new licence from the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), a regime which began on 1st July 2026.
Since then, we’ve seen 30+ operators confirmed as licensed under the new rules, with the list of regulated bookmakers being added to every week.
As with any new regulations, questions arise. In this case, many users want to know whether certain platforms are legal, which is natural given that the new regulations are the country’s first major overhaul of its betting laws in decades.
With that in mind, let’s address one of the most asked-about platforms…
Is Polymarket Legal In Ireland?
Prediction market platform Polymarket is not listed as a licensed operator by the GRAI and, as a result, is not legal in Ireland.
As reported by the Irish Examiner, Polymarket was forced to geoblock its services in Ireland following pressure from the GRAI.
The GRAI’s new licensing system, which came into effect on 1st July, requires a remote betting service operator to have a GRAI license. Polymarket doesn’t, and Irish users have therefore been blocked from the platform.
Polymarket’s support section lists almost 40 other 'blocked' countries, including the UK and Australia.
What is Polymarket?
Polymarket is a prediction market platform that allows users to bet on the outcomes of real-world events by buying and selling shares. Every market has a YES or NO, with users able to buy shares for whichever outcome they believe will happen.
Users trade bets and gamble on a multitude of events, including but not limited to sports, culture, financial markets and politics.
FAQ
No, Irish users can't access Polymarket because the platform isn't licensed in Ireland.
Polymarket is known to block VPN addresses and can recognise accounts trying to bypass restrictions. While using a VPN may get you access to the Polymarket platform, you risk having your account suspended and losing funds.
We strongly recommend that Irish users not use a VPN to access Polymarket.
Kalshi also cannot be used in Ireland. Like Polymarket, Kalshi doesn't hold the required license to operate in Ireland and has restricted access for Irish players following an intervention by the GRAI.
