Czech Republic Orders ISP Block on Prediction Market Kalshi
The Czech Ministry of Finance has added prediction market Kalshi to its list of unauthorised gambling operators, mandating a nationwide internet block. The move follows a similar action against Polymarket and reflects a growing European regulatory consensus that views such platforms as betting.
- The Czech Ministry of Finance has blacklisted Kalshi, requiring internet service providers to block access to the site by 15 October 2026.
- The action was prompted by the Czech Institute for Gambling Regulation (IPRH) and follows a similar prohibition order against rival platform Polymarket in July.
- Czech authorities, along with regulators in several other EU nations, consider prediction markets to be a form of betting, a view that clashes with Kalshi's US classification as a financial instrument.
Internet service providers (ISPs) in the Czech Republic have been ordered to prohibit access to the prediction market Kalshi after the platform was added to the country’s blacklist of unauthorised gambling websites. The Ministry of Finance announced the decision on 30 September, giving ISPs a statutory 15-day period to implement the block. As a result, users in the country will lose conventional access to the site from Thursday, 15 October 2026.
The regulatory action against Kalshi follows a similar prohibition order issued against its competitor, Polymarket, in July. The case for blocking Kalshi was brought to the authorities by the Czech Institute for Gambling Regulation (IPRH), an industry body which, under its Director Jan Řehola, represents more than 90 per cent of the nation’s licensed gambling sector.
European Regulatory Consensus
Czech authorities maintain that prediction markets are effectively betting services that present themselves to consumers as investment tools. This interpretation is not isolated; it is a view shared by regulatory bodies in other European countries, including Belgium, France, Romania, Spain, and Germany, creating a significant hurdle for operators wishing to enter these markets.
Contrasting Jurisdictional Approaches
This European perspective is in stark contrast to the regulatory framework in the United States. There, operators such as Kalshi and Polymarket have generally positioned their event-based contracts as financial instruments, placing them under the federal oversight of the Commodity Futures and Trading Commission (CFTC).
Elsewhere, Gibraltar has established itself as the first jurisdiction in the world to implement a dedicated regulatory framework designed exclusively for prediction markets. The initiative has been overseen by the territory's Gambling Commissioner, Andrew Lyman.
The Czech block comes as Kalshi experiences substantial growth and harbours significant expansion plans. According to DeFi Rate, the platform processed trading activity worth around $60bn (£45.3bn) last month and is currently seeking new capital to support an approximate valuation of $40bn. Despite the increasing regulatory challenges in Europe, the company’s leadership remains focused on expansion.
would love to expand in Europe
