Australia takes a firm line: both Kalshi and Polymarket restrict Australian users, and US-style prediction markets are treated as gambling that would need a licence to operate. Here is the position as of mid-2026 and what is available instead.
Rules and enforcement change quickly; confirm the current position directly with the platform — and, where it matters, a qualified professional — before acting.
At a glance
- Kalshi — lists Australia among its restricted jurisdictions.
- Polymarket — restricts Australia, geoblocking new trades.
- Why — the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, enforced by ACMA, restricts unlicensed online gambling, and ASIC banned binary options for retail clients in 2021.
- Available instead — Australian-licensed wagering operators (including the locally licensed Betfair exchange) offer some event and novelty markets, but not US-style event contracts.
Why they aren’t available
Two regimes combine. The Interactive Gambling Act 2001, administered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), makes it an offence to provide certain online gambling services to Australians without the right authorisation, and ACMA actively blocks illegal offshore gambling sites. Separately, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) banned the sale of binary options to retail clients in 2021. Because a prediction-market contract that pays $1 or $0 is a binary outcome, it runs into the same objection an Australian regulator raises against binary options and unlicensed betting. The result is that both major platforms exclude Australia.
What Australians can use
Australia has a large, licensed wagering industry regulated through state and territory frameworks, and licensed operators — including the Australian-licensed Betfair exchange — offer betting on sports, racing and some novelty and event markets. What is not available is the US-style event-contract exchange model of Kalshi or Polymarket. Anyone trading should stick to operators licensed in Australia, where consumer protections apply.
Using a VPN
Reaching a geoblocked platform through a VPN breaches its terms, removes any consumer protection, and does not change your obligations under Australian law or tax. It is not recommended.
The outlook
With both a gambling-law and a financial-regulation barrier in place, and no public move to create a dedicated event-contract framework, US-style prediction markets are unlikely to become available to Australian retail users in the near term. See the global picture in our prediction markets by country guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Polymarket available in Australia?
No. Polymarket restricts Australian users and geoblocks new trades. Australia treats US-style event contracts as gambling under the Interactive Gambling Act, and ASIC’s 2021 binary-options ban also applies.
Can Australians use Kalshi?
No — Kalshi lists Australia among its restricted jurisdictions, so Australian residents cannot open an account.
Are prediction markets legal in Australia?
US-style prediction markets are not available and are treated as gambling requiring a licence. Australians can bet through operators licensed in Australia, but not on Kalshi or Polymarket.