TLDR
- A Buenos Aires court mandated a complete nationwide restriction of Polymarket in Argentina.
- ENACOM received judicial orders from Judge Susana Parada to implement blocking measures via ISPs.
- Regulators determined the platform functioned without required gambling licenses in the country.
- Apple and Google received court instructions to eliminate the application from their Argentine storefronts.
- Controversy emerged when Polymarket showed a 2.9% inflation rate ahead of official INDEC publication.
A Buenos Aires court has mandated a complete nationwide shutdown of Polymarket operations throughout Argentina. On March 16, Judge Susana Parada delivered the judicial decision, prompting swift regulatory action. The mandate requires telecommunications providers and digital app marketplaces to terminate platform accessibility.
ENACOM, the national telecommunications oversight body, received instructions to execute the restriction through internet service providers and mobile platforms. Consequently, both Android and iOS users face complete application access denial. Regulatory officials determined the service operated beyond authorized parameters established by domestic gambling legislation.
Argentina Blocks Polymarket Over Unauthorized Gambling Claims
The legal proceedings initiated following formal objections from LOTBA, the Buenos Aires City Lottery organization, alongside CASCBA, representing Argentina’s casino industry. Regulators contended that Polymarket operated as an unlicensed wagering service throughout Argentine territory. Consequently, FEJA prosecutors launched formal proceedings under Judge Parada’s judicial oversight.
Investigative findings indicated the platform enabled rapid account creation and facilitated transactions through cryptocurrency and traditional payment cards. Authorities additionally noted the absence of robust identity confirmation and age validation protocols. Judicial findings emphasized these characteristics heightened exposure for underage users and permitted uncontrolled betting operations.
Judge Parada commanded ENACOM to execute immediate nationwide platform restrictions. The judicial order additionally mandated Apple and Google to eliminate the software from their Argentine digital marketplaces. Officials clarified the restriction encompasses existing installations on user devices.
Inflation Data Leak and Regulatory Action in Argentina
The judicial action arrived amid significant controversy surrounding Argentina’s February inflation statistics. Investigation revealed that Polymarket presented a 2.9% inflation reading several minutes preceding the official INDEC data release. This sequence generated substantial concerns regarding potential unauthorized information access and data exploitation.
Forensic analysis identified modest yet strategically timed betting activity originating from accounts with historically minimal transaction records. Regulatory authorities indicated these trading sequences suggested potential insider participation. Clarín’s reporting documented how officials and media professionals examined the questionable transaction patterns.
Regulators emphasized the premature inflation data disclosure intensified demands for intervention against cryptocurrency-enabled prediction platforms. They noted the platform’s operational framework permitted rapid speculation without adequate regulatory supervision. ENACOM currently manages implementation coordination with telecommunications companies.
Argentina has ordered a nationwide block of crypto-based prediction market platform Polymarket. A Buenos Aires court directed telecom regulator ENACOM to restrict access through internet providers and instructed Google and Apple to remove the app from stores for Argentine users… pic.twitter.com/MqR3XJrsT6
— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) March 17, 2026
Argentina represents the second Latin American nation implementing comprehensive Polymarket restrictions. Colombia previously enacted nationwide access limitations through regulatory authority Coljuegos during September 2025. Coljuegos determined the platform conducted operations absent mandatory licensing authorization.
Regulatory authorities verified that Polymarket currently confronts complete operational restrictions across a minimum of 34 nations. Simultaneously, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission abandoned a 2024 proposed regulation focused on political prediction marketplace oversight. The CFTC has yet to announce additional enforcement initiatives regarding Polymarket.
