A plain, dated guide to prediction market legality in Romania. Why the National Office for Gambling blacklisted Polymarket as unlicensed gambling, the court appeal the platform lost in April 2026, the election surge that triggered the action, and what this means for a Romanian reader. Information, not legal advice.
Last reviewed 8 June 2026 · Status as of June 2026 · Information, not legal advice
As of June 2026, Polymarket is blocked in Romania. The National Office for Gambling, known as ONJN, blacklisted it as unlicensed gambling that must hold a Romanian licence, and a Romanian court upheld that decision on appeal in April 2026. Gambling in Romania is a licensed activity, and an unlicensed real money prediction venue is not available to a Romanian reader. The regulator treats staking money on a future outcome as a counterparty bet rather than trading, which is what brought it within gambling law.
Availability is indicative and as of June 2026. Polymarket is blocked in Romania following the ONJN blacklist and the upheld court decision, so we do not point a Romanian reader to it. Reaching a blocked venue through a workaround does not make participation lawful or safe.
The relevant regulator is the National Office for Gambling, ONJN, which licenses gambling in Romania and maintains a blacklist of unauthorised sites. It placed Polymarket on that blacklist and successfully defended the decision on appeal in April 2026.
ONJN's stated reasoning is that betting money on a future outcome under counterparty conditions is gambling that must be licensed. Confirm the live position with ONJN before acting. We never invent a citation, and where a position is contested we say so.
Legal does not mean low risk, and a price is an implied probability, not a prediction. Prediction markets can lose you money. Stake only what you can afford to lose, never to chase a loss, and never on borrowed money. If it stops feeling like a free choice, step back and seek support from a national problem gambling helpline or your doctor.
As of June 2026, Polymarket is blocked in Romania after the ONJN blacklisted it as unlicensed gambling and a court upheld that decision on appeal in April 2026. Real money prediction venues are not available to a Romanian reader. This is general information, not legal advice.
The National Office for Gambling treated Polymarket's contracts as counterparty bets, which is gambling that needs a Romanian licence the platform did not hold. A sharp rise in betting during the 2025 national elections was the trigger for the action.
The National Office for Gambling, ONJN, licenses gambling and maintains a blacklist of unauthorised sites. It blacklisted Polymarket and defended that decision successfully on appeal in April 2026.
We do not advise it. The venue is blocked, and bypassing that block does not make participation lawful, can breach the platform's own terms, and leaves you without the protections a licensed operator must provide.
There is no public signal as of June 2026 that ONJN will reverse the block. A platform would need to obtain a Romanian licence or the law would need to change. Treat the status here as a dated snapshot and verify before relying on it.
The status above reflects the national framework and the platform positions as we read them in June 2026. These change, so confirm the current rules before you act.
Status as of June 2026. General information, not legal advice.