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Delhi Pulls the Plug on Polymarket: What the Ban Signals for the Wider Indian Ocean

5/22/2026

Delhi Pulls the Plug on Polymarket: What the Ban Signals for the Wider Indian Ocean NEW DELHI — India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has issued a cease-and-desist against Polymarket, the decentralised event-contract platform, and shut its doors to Indian users.

The order treats the site as an unlicensed wagering venue under the country's anti-gambling statutes, and officials have flagged that Kalshi is next in line for the same treatment.

For a regional bureau watching the Indian Ocean rim, the move matters well beyond the borders of the world's largest crypto-curious electorate.

India sets the tone for digital-asset policy across South Asia, and Colombo, Dhaka, Islamabad and Malé all study Delhi's playbook closely when drafting their own rules.

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