Europe Coordinates Crackdown on Prediction Markets

Europe Strengthens Oversight of Prediction Markets

Europe.- June 19, 2026 – www.zonadeazar.com Europe’s leading gambling regulators have intensified their coordination to monitor and restrict Prediction Markets activity during the FIFA World Cup 2026™, aiming to strengthen consumer protection and safeguard the integrity of regulated gaming markets.

The initiative brings together Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland and Switzerland, which signed a joint declaration to enhance surveillance of platforms offering event-based contracts, including sports outcomes and other public-interest events.

Increased Pressure on Polymarket and Kalshi

Regulators are focusing particularly on platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi, which have faced enforcement actions in several European jurisdictions for operating without local gambling licenses.

Spain has already ordered the precautionary blocking of both platforms and launched sanctioning proceedings, arguing that their products fall within the legal definition of betting and gambling activities subject to regulation. Similar measures have previously been adopted in France, Belgium, Italy, Portugal and other European markets.

Integrity, Consumer Protection and International Cooperation

European authorities argue that unauthorized Prediction Markets lack essential safeguards such as identity verification, underage access prevention, self-exclusion tools and responsible gaming measures. Regulators have also expressed concerns regarding insider information risks and the integrity of sporting competitions.

The agreement includes information-sharing mechanisms among regulators, coordinated supervision of digital operators and the review of commercial agreements and sponsorships involving platforms that do not hold the necessary licenses in participating jurisdictions.

A Growing Global Debate

While the United States continues moving toward broader acceptance of Prediction Markets under the oversight of the CFTC, Europe is maintaining a more restrictive approach, considering many of these activities to fall under traditional gambling regulation. This divergence is becoming one of the most significant regulatory debates facing the global gaming industry in 2026.

Edited by: @_fonta