Polymarket's X account withheld in India after legal demand

X, the social media platform formerly called Twitter, has withheld the official account of Polymarket, a cryptocurrency-based prediction market, for users in India in response to a legal demand. The restriction was first noticed on October 22, 2026. Indian users who open the account now see X's notice that it has been "withheld in response to a legal demand", instead of its profile and posts, while the account remains visible in other countries. The move comes months after Indian authorities blocked Polymarket's website earlier this year.

A prediction market lets people bet money on the outcome of real-world events, such as elections, sports results or economic data. Prices move as people buy and sell "shares" in each outcome, and those who back the right outcome are paid out. Polymarket runs on cryptocurrency. In India, though, the Online Gaming Act bans online games and platforms where users stake money in the hope of winning more, and the authorities count prediction markets among them.

Blocking the website was the first step. Withholding the social media account goes further: it stops the platform from promoting its markets to Indian users on one of the most widely used social networks. Regulators have also flagged concern that some users reach overseas betting sites through VPNs or by paying in stablecoins such as USDC, which are digital tokens pegged to the US dollar.

For young people who spend a lot of time online, this is a reminder that what is legal in one country may be illegal in India, and that betting-style apps can look like games or investment tools. Before signing up for any app that asks you to stake money on an outcome, it is worth checking whether it is allowed in India.

The exact order behind the withholding, and its grounds, have not been published by the government or by X.

Short-term: Indian users can no longer see Polymarket's posts and market updates on X. Influencers and pages that share links to the platform may also face scrutiny, since the April advisory told intermediaries not to help users reach blocked services.

Long-term: The action signals that the government intends to enforce the gaming law across websites, app stores and social media, and not only against Indian companies. Other overseas prediction and betting platforms that market to Indians on social media could face similar steps.

Who is affected: Indian users who followed or used Polymarket, creators and crypto communities who discuss prediction markets, social media platforms that receive blocking orders, and overseas betting and prediction companies targeting Indian audiences.

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