Availability follows physical location
Polymarket applies geographic controls according to the user's current physical location, including while travelling. Nationality, a home address, or the country where an account was created does not override the location check.
Restriction types are not identical. Some locations are fully blocked, others are close-only, and a small number have narrower product- or interface-specific limitations. A successful page load does not prove that deposits or trading are permitted.
Restrictions can change. The country list on this page was checked against first-party Polymarket material on August 2, 2026, but the current interface, geoblock response, Terms of Use, and applicable law control.
Countries on the current restricted list
Polymarket's official Help Center currently lists these 39 countries or territories:
| Australia | Belarus | Belgium |
| Brazil | Burundi | Central African Republic |
| Cuba | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Ethiopia |
| France | Germany | Iran |
| Iraq | Ireland | Italy |
| Japan | Lebanon | Libya |
| Malta | Myanmar | Netherlands |
| Nicaragua | North Korea | Poland |
| Russia | Singapore | Slovakia |
| Somalia | South Sudan | Sudan |
| Syria | Taiwan | Thailand |
| United Kingdom | United States | U.S. Minor Outlying Islands |
| Venezuela | Yemen | Zimbabwe |
The Help Center presents a broad list, while the developer geoblock documentation separates more granular technical states. Do not interpret the same table row as proof that every listed country has identical controls.
Restricted subregions in Canada and Ukraine
- Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec.
- Ukraine: Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk.
A user elsewhere in either country should still check current rules. Location detection and policy enforcement can operate at country and region level.
Polymarket International versus Polymarket US
| Feature | Polymarket International | Polymarket US |
|---|---|---|
| Main product | Crypto-based international prediction market | Separate US-regulated prediction-market product |
| Account | International account | Separate US account |
| US physical location | View-only on polymarket.com | Eligibility follows Polymarket US rules |
| Funding | pUSD and supported bridge routes | Follow Polymarket US documentation |
| Developer documentation | docs.polymarket.com | docs.polymarket.us |
An International account does not become a US account. Do not reuse pUSD, bridge, fee, or API instructions for Polymarket US unless the US documentation expressly supports them.
What blocked and close-only mean
- Fully blocked: trading actions are unavailable.
- Close-only: existing exposure may be reduced or closed, but new or increased exposure is not permitted.
- Frontend- or product-specific: a particular interface or market type can be restricted while another documented action remains available.
When the Help Center's broad list and the API's granular categories appear different, a narrower technical state is not general permission to trade. Follow the current interface, server enforcement, and Terms of Use.
How to check the current location result
Polymarket publishes a public technical endpoint:
GET https://polymarket.com/api/geoblock
The response reports Polymarket's geoblock assessment for the requesting connection. Developers should check it before showing trading controls and should still handle a later server rejection because both location and policy can change.
For an individual user, read the current banner and controls, the official geographic-restrictions article, and the Terms of Use. Check the sign-up guide only after confirming which product is available.
Travel, VPNs, and local law
Travelling into a restricted jurisdiction can change the available actions even if the account was created elsewhere. If an existing position is affected, use only the closing or withdrawal options that the current interface permits.
Polymarket prohibits using a VPN or similar service to evade a geographic restriction. A VPN does not make the activity permitted and can create additional account or transaction problems.
Platform availability is not legal advice. Being absent from the published list does not override local law or the current product terms.
Troubleshooting an access message
- Confirm whether the page is polymarket.com International or the separate Polymarket US product.
- Check the current physical location, including relevant Canadian or Ukrainian subregions.
- Read whether the message says blocked, view-only, or close-only; the states are not interchangeable.
- Disable a VPN or proxy rather than using it to alter the detected jurisdiction.
- Recheck the current geoblock documentation and Terms of Use.
- If the detected location is plainly wrong, use official support without disclosing a password, seed phrase, or private key.
Focused answers
Frequently asked questions
Can people in the United States use polymarket.com?
They can view the International site, but users physically located in the United States cannot deposit or trade there. Polymarket US is a separate product and account.
Is Polymarket available everywhere outside the US?
No. The official list includes many other countries plus Canadian and Ukrainian subregions. Controls can be full, close-only, or narrower by product.
Does citizenship determine Polymarket access?
Polymarket says controls are based on physical location, including during travel. Citizenship alone does not determine whether trading is available.
Can I use a VPN in a restricted country?
No. Polymarket prohibits using a VPN or similar method to bypass geographic restrictions.
Can I close a position after a location becomes restricted?
It depends on the current restriction class. Close-only access may permit reducing an existing position, while a fully blocked state can be stricter. Follow the controls shown for the actual location.
Why should an API integration check geoblocking?
API trading is subject to location controls too. The public geoblock endpoint helps decide whether to show trading functions, but the integration must still handle server-side enforcement.
Bottom line
Check both product and physical location
Distinguish polymarket.com International from Polymarket US, identify the current physical location, and read whether access is blocked, view-only, or close-only. Never treat a VPN, successful page load, or old country list as permission to trade.
Primary references
Sources checked for this guide
- Geographic Restrictions — Polymarket Help Center
- Geoblock — Polymarket Documentation
- Website vs App — Polymarket Help Center
- What Is Polymarket US? — Polymarket US Documentation
Sources were reviewed on August 2, 2026. Product rules, rates, availability, and interfaces can change; the linked first-party page controls when it differs from this summary.