
Polymarket blocks VPNs and tightens identity verification as over 30 countries ban the betting platform
THE SO WHAT
When a prediction market starts blocking VPNs and tightening KYC after 30+ country bans, the era of truly permissionless retail prediction is closing. If your product touches regulated behavior — money, health, elections — assume geo-fencing, identity, and compliance will become core engineering problems, not bolt-ons.
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