Is Polymarket Legal? US States & Countries in 2026
After acquiring a CFTC-regulated exchange, Polymarket is legal to operate in the United States at the federal level in 2026. Access still depends on your physical location, and a number of countries remain restricted. Here is the current picture.
United States: legal at the federal level
Polymarket US operates as a CFTC-regulated Designated Contract Market, which means prediction trading is permitted federally rather than licensed state by state. For most users that is the key point: you do not need your individual state to pass a sports-betting law for prediction markets to be available.
Access is based on your physical location rather than your residency, and is confirmed automatically by an in-app geo-check. A small number of states examine sports-style event contracts more closely, so if a specific market is unavailable it is usually that category rather than the platform as a whole. See our state-by-state directory for your own state.
How Polymarket decides who can trade
Polymarket operates globally through separate legal entities and checks where you physically are when you trade, not where you live. That means a user from a permitted country who travels to a restricted one may lose access while there, and vice versa. The geo-check is the final word for your situation.
Restricted and limited countries
Polymarket is accessible in around 180 countries but blocks roughly 30+ jurisdictions for regulatory and sanctions reasons, including France and Brazil at various points. Some markets, such as the UK, are limited because local rules on binary options prevent official retail access. Pick your country in our country directory for the current status.
How to check your own access
The surest way to know is to create an account and open any market: the geo-check will show whether trading is available from your current location. It takes a couple of minutes and tells you definitively, rather than relying on a general rule.
Is Polymarket legal in California / Texas?
Polymarket US operates federally under the CFTC, so prediction trading is permitted for users physically located there. Access is location-based; check the in-app geo-check, as some sports markets carry extra state nuance.
Is Polymarket legal in the UK?
Polymarket is not officially licensed for UK retail at the time of writing due to FCA rules on binary options, so access is limited. UK users often look at regulated alternatives.
What countries is Polymarket legal in?
Polymarket is accessible in roughly 180 countries and restricts 30+, including France and Brazil. The platform confirms availability by your physical location via an in-app check.