Polymarket blocks VPN use amid growing regulatory pressure

Online prediction market Polymarket has begun blocking IP addresses associated with virtual private networks (VPNs) and is asking some users to verify their identities. The move follows the platform's restriction in 33 countries and several regions due to regional regulations and international sanctions, and aims to avoid further regulatory action.

The policy shift away from anonymous trading coincides with a broader crackdown on VPN usage in the United States—such as Utah's ban on VPNs for accessing porn sites—and similar discussions in the United Kingdom over VPN restrictions for minors. Age‑verification laws that require government ID or facial scans have prompted criticism that such measures infringe on adult First Amendment rights.