Romania’s National Office for Gambling (ONJN) has officially blacklisted blockchain-based prediction market Polymarket, declaring that the platform’s operations constitute unlicensed gambling rather than legitimate event trading. The decision, made on October 29, 2025, comes after what officials described as an unprecedented spike in crypto wagering linked to the country’s recent presidential and local elections.
ONJN says Polymarket’s activity qualifies as gambling
According to ONJN’s public statement issued the following day, Polymarket recorded trading volumes exceeding $600 million during the election period, with approximately $15 million tied to bets on the Bucharest mayoral race. While the platform presents itself as a decentralized marketplace for users to “trade on future events,” the regulator clarified that, legally speaking, such activity qualifies as gambling when users place money, whether fiat or crypto, on uncertain outcomes with the intent to profit.
The ONJN emphasized that Polymarket’s mechanism operates as “pariuri în contraparte” (counterpart betting), where users wager against one another rather than directly with the platform. This arrangement, the agency said, clearly fits the legal definition of gambling in Romania, which requires both a license and adherence to state-imposed controls on taxation, integrity, and player protection.
“This decision is about the law, not technology”
ONJN President Vlad-Cristian Soare pointed out that the institution’s move has nothing to do with opposing innovation.
“The decision to include Polymarket on the blacklist is not about technology, but about the law. Whether you bet in lei or in crypto, if you stake money on a future outcome, under the structure of counterpart betting, it is gambling and must be licensed,” he stated.
Soare warned that redefining such activity as “trading” or operating prediction markets without legal recognition creates a dangerous precedent. Allowing operators to bypass licensing could undermine Romania’s state gambling monopoly and erode tax collection and consumer protections. ONJN added that internet service providers in Romania will be instructed to block access to Polymarket within a reasonable timeframe.
A growing trend of international enforcement
The Romanian regulator’s crackdown follows a broader international pattern of scrutiny toward blockchain-based betting platforms. Polymarket previously faced regulatory action in the United States: in 2022, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) fined the company for operating unregistered derivatives markets, forcing it to block American users.
Similar enforcement measures have been carried out in Belgium, France, Poland, Singapore, and Thailand, where authorities also ordered restrictions on access. These moves reflect global unease over the rise of decentralized markets that allow individuals to bet on political, economic, or social outcomes without regulatory oversight.
Despite these challenges, Polymarket continues to attract strong investor and retail interest. The platform, reportedly backed by Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, has signaled plans to reenter the U.S. market with limited sports-based event contracts. Bloomberg recently reported that a relaunch could occur by the end of November 2025, following a no-action letter involving an exchange affiliated with Polymarket.
Legal implications for Romanian users
Under Romania’s Emergency Ordinance No. 77/2009, participation in or promotion of unlicensed gambling activities constitutes an administrative offense, subject to penalties. ONJN officials note that Polymarket’s operations lack fiscal reporting, anti-money laundering (AML) compliance, and player protection mechanisms, leaving both users and the state exposed to financial and legal risks.
The regulator also highlighted that Polymarket’s structure is not investment-related but rather a mechanism for placing peer-to-peer bets without supervision.
“The only difference lies in the technological layer, blockchain or tokenization, but from a legal standpoint, there is no substantive distinction,” ONJN’s statement read.
Romania’s firm stance underlines an important message to the broader crypto industry: innovation cannot exempt companies from compliance with national laws governing gambling and financial services. In the coming days, Romanian internet providers are expected to restrict Polymarket’s access nationwide, effectively removing the platform from the country’s online landscape.
A message of regulatory consistency
By taking decisive action, the ONJN aims to set a precedent that ensures all online gambling, regardless of technology or payment method, remains within the licensed framework. Soare concluded:
“ONJN will not permit the blockchain to become a cover for illegal betting.”
As the global intersection between crypto, regulation, and wagering grows more complex, Romania’s response signals that the state is unwilling to cede ground over its jurisdictional authority. For Polymarket, the blacklisting adds another chapter to an expanding list of countries pushing back against its unregulated prediction market model.
Gunel Ismayilova
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