Danish Court Orders Block on Polymarket for Unlicensed Targeting of Local Users
TL;DR — Denmark blocked Polymarket after an 8 July court ruling found it targeted local users without a license, as one of 98 restricted sites. The move follows ministerial criticism of war-linked markets and earlier monitoring that lacked grounds for action. Polymarket appealed, consistent with blocks in France and the Netherlands.
SCCG Take — This sets the evidentiary bar for targeting in prediction markets, forcing operators to audit features that signal local intent. Pending appeals will sharpen compliance standards for European market entry.
Denmark blocked prediction market platform Polymarket as one of 98 unlicensed gambling websites restricted by the Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden). The Frederiksberg Court ruled on 8 July that the sites offered gambling services to Danish users without the required licence. Polymarket has appealed the order. Internet providers enforce the measure with DNS blocking that redirects visitors to an illegality notice.
Ministerial Criticism and Evidence of Targeting
Tax and Growth Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt criticised Polymarket for markets tied to wars and serious events. “A human life is not a betting slip. And war should not be something you can sit at home on the sofa and speculate on to make money,” Engel-Schmidt said. Danish law requires a licence for operators offering services in Denmark or targeting its customers through Danish-language content, payments in Danish currency, local support or tailored products.
Anders Dorph, Spillemyndigheden director, stated the authority would block platforms once evidence showed targeting. In February the regulator monitored Polymarket and Kalshi but found access from Denmark alone insufficient. The court action confirms the threshold was met. Spillemyndigheden secured orders against a record 334 illegal gambling websites in 2025, according to reporting by Yogonet International.
The Appeal and Parallel European Orders
France ordered internet providers to block Polymarket in July after its financial transaction limits from the country proved bypassable. Polymarket plans to challenge that decision. The Dutch Gambling Authority has issued an order requiring the platform to stop unlicensed gambling.
Where the Danish Appeal May Set Limits
The pending appeal tests the precise evidence needed to prove targeting under Danish rules. Prediction market operators now face clearer regulatory boundaries on product design and localisation features across Europe, with blocking orders available once those lines are crossed.
Reporting: Yogonet International
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
Denmark just raised the evidentiary bar for what constitutes 'targeting' — prediction markets can no longer hide behind passive access.
We've tracked 334 Danish blocks in 2025 alone, and this ruling defines the line between access and targeting. For any platform eyeing Europe, the details — language, currency, support channels — now carry regulatory weight. The appeal will set compliance standards across the continent, and SCCG clients need to get ahead of it.
- Court ruled Polymarket targeted Denmark via language, currency, or product design — not just access
- Minister condemned war-linked markets; regulator blocked 98 sites in single action, 334 year-to-date
- Appeal parallels French, Dutch restrictions; outcome will define European prediction market compliance thresholds
SCCG angle: SCCG has licensing and regulatory partners across every European market. We help platforms audit feature sets for targeting signals before regulators do, and connect them to local counsel who understand where each jurisdiction draws the line — Denmark, France, Netherlands, and the 22 others we work daily.
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