Is Polymarket legal in Pakistan?
Polymarket is currently accessible from Pakistan. The country is not on Polymarket's list of blocked countries.
However, Pakistan has complex gambling and financial regulations that users should be aware of.
How Pakistani regulations apply
Gambling is illegal in Pakistan under the Prevention of Gambling Act 1977. Whether prediction markets constitute gambling under Pakistani law has not been tested.
Crypto occupies a complicated space in Pakistan. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has not formally banned crypto but has issued warnings. The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has explored regulatory frameworks for digital assets. Crypto trading happens widely through peer-to-peer channels.
How to get started from Pakistan
- Visit Polymarket and create an account
- Deposit via credit card or buy USDC through P2P trading and transfer
- Start trading
New to prediction markets? Read our guide.
Risks for Pakistani users
Pakistan presents a uniquely complex environment for prediction market trading. Gambling is explicitly illegal, and while prediction markets have not been tested in court, authorities could choose to classify them as gambling at any time.
The crypto landscape adds another layer of uncertainty. The State Bank of Pakistan has not formally banned cryptocurrency, but it has issued repeated warnings discouraging its use. Pakistani banks have sometimes frozen accounts associated with crypto transactions. Many Pakistani traders rely on peer-to-peer (P2P) channels to buy and sell USDC, which carries its own risks including scams and price manipulation.
There is also a practical concern around withdrawals. Converting Polymarket winnings back to Pakistani Rupees requires selling USDC through P2P or informal channels, which can be slow, expensive, and subject to unfavorable exchange rates. Pakistani users should factor in these friction costs when calculating whether a trade is profitable. Start with small amounts and test the full deposit-trade-withdraw cycle before committing significant capital.
