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Polymarket in the Netherlands (2026) | Close-Only — Why, Alternatives & How to Manage Positions

Polymarket is close-only in the Netherlands — existing positions can be closed but new trades cannot be opened on the frontend. The Kansspelautoriteit regulates gambling and DNB registers crypto providers. Full guide for Dutch users on status, law, and tax.

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Polymarket is close-only in the Netherlands. On the Polymarket frontend, Dutch users can close positions they already hold, but cannot open new trades — new visitors can’t start trading. The Netherlands has one of Europe’s most developed gambling and crypto frameworks, with the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) overseeing gambling and De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) registering crypto service providers. Here’s what Dutch users need to know.

Current Status: Close-Only

Polymarket lists the Netherlands as close-only: you can close existing positions but cannot open new ones. The restriction applies to Polymarket’s frontend — new trades can’t be opened from Dutch IP addresses through the web interface. The underlying Polymarket API is not separately restricted for Dutch IPs. Unlike truly blocked countries, Dutch ISPs have not been ordered to block the site.

For a new visitor, the practical result is clear: you cannot open trades on Polymarket from the Netherlands. If you already hold positions, you can still close them and withdraw.

The status is driven by the Netherlands’ regulatory framework rather than a simple geoblock. The country regulates online gambling strictly and requires a licence to offer betting products to Dutch consumers — prediction markets don’t fit neatly into that licensed regime.

The Netherlands has two separate regulators covering the two halves of the prediction-market stack: gambling and crypto.

Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) and the Remote Gambling Act

Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) — the Netherlands Gambling Authority — is the independent regulator for games of chance. It oversees the Remote Gambling Act (Wet Kansspelen op afstand, Koa), which came into effect on 1 October 2021 and legalized and regulated online gambling in the Netherlands.

Key points about the Dutch gambling framework:

  • Offering games of chance to Dutch consumers without a licence is an offence
  • Licensed operators must hold a remote gambling licence from the KSA and are subject to a remote gambling tax on gross gaming revenue
  • The framework covers a defined set of permitted products — prediction markets are not explicitly licensed as a category, leaving them in a grey area that the KSA has not authorized
  • The KSA actively enforces against unlicensed operators targeting Dutch consumers

DNB and Crypto Regulation

De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) is the Dutch central bank and the regulator for crypto service providers. Since 21 May 2020, the Wwft (Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing Act) has required companies offering crypto services in or from the Netherlands — including custodian wallets and crypto-to-fiat exchange services — to register with DNB.

  • Buying, holding, and trading crypto on registered exchanges is fully legal and regulated in the Netherlands
  • The EU’s MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation) adds another layer of licensing for crypto-asset service providers across the EU, including in the Netherlands
  • DNB regularly enforces against crypto providers operating without the required registration

For Dutch users, this means the deposit leg of Polymarket (buying USDC on a registered exchange) is legal and regulated — while the trading leg (opening new prediction-market positions) is what’s restricted to close-only.

Managing Existing Positions from the Netherlands

Because Polymarket is close-only, new visitors cannot open trades here — you’d need to have positions opened before the restriction applied. If you do hold open positions and want to fund your account to settle or close them, you’d buy USDC on a Dutch crypto exchange:

ExchangeEUR DepositsNotes
BitvavoiDEAL, SEPADutch exchange, largest in the Netherlands, strong EUR liquidity
CoinbaseSEPA, cardWidely used, Coinbase Connect works with Polymarket
KrakenSEPALow fees, good USDC liquidity
BybitiDEAL, SEPAEU platform, low spot fees

Deposit Methods Explained

iDEAL: iDEAL is the Netherlands’ dominant online payment method, letting you pay directly from your Dutch bank account. Bitvavo supports iDEAL deposits, which typically arrive instantly and at no extra cost — the fastest way to fund a Dutch exchange account.

SEPA: The pan-European SEPA bank transfer system is the other standard rail. All major Dutch exchanges accept SEPA transfers, which are usually free and settle within one business day.

Transferring USDC to Polymarket

  1. Buy USDC on Bitvavo (or another exchange) using iDEAL or SEPA
  2. Go to Deposit on Polymarket and select Use Crypto
  3. Copy your deposit address and send USDC from your exchange to it
  4. Choose Polygon for the lowest fees ($3 minimum, arrives in seconds)

For the full walkthrough, see our How to Deposit on Polymarket guide.

Tax Implications

The Netherlands takes a distinctive approach to taxing crypto: it’s treated as a wealth/asset rather than as realized income on each trade.

Box 3 (Savings and Investments)

Dutch residents report their crypto as an asset under box 3 of the income tax system — income from savings and investments. Instead of taxing each capital gain, box 3 applies a deemed (fictitious) return to your assets, including crypto, and taxes that deemed income:

  • The 2026 box 3 tax rate is 31%
  • A tax-free allowance applies to the first tranche of box 3 assets
  • You report the value of your crypto (along with other box 3 assets and debts) on your annual tax return to the Belastingdienst (Dutch tax authority)

The box 3 system is currently under reform toward taxing actual returns rather than a deemed return. This is a change in progress with ongoing court rulings — for accurate, up-to-date treatment of your specific situation, consult a Dutch tax adviser.

What You Don’t Pay

  • No capital gains tax on each individual crypto trade (unlike many countries)
  • No specific crypto surcharge — crypto is folded into the box 3 asset framework
  • With a sizeable tax-free allowance, many smaller portfolios fall below the box 3 threshold

Getting Started

If you’re a new visitor in the Netherlands, the most important thing to know is that you cannot open new trades on Polymarket’s frontend — the platform is close-only here. You can only close positions you already hold. If closing or managing existing positions, the path is:

  1. Buy USDC on a registered Dutch exchange like Bitvavo via iDEAL or SEPA — instant, low-fee EUR on-ramp
  2. Deposit on Polymarket — transfer USDC via Polygon to the deposit address
  3. Close your open positions and withdraw funds to your wallet
  4. Report your crypto as a box 3 asset on your annual Belastingdienst return

Alternatives to Polymarket

If you’re in the Netherlands and can’t open new Polymarket trades, you may want to compare regulated options. The Dutch licensed gambling market is mature — operators licensed by the KSA offer sports betting and casino products, though not the same open prediction-market format as Polymarket.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Polymarket available in the Netherlands?
Partially. Polymarket lists the Netherlands as close-only — on the Polymarket frontend, Dutch users can close positions they already hold but cannot open new trades. New visitors cannot start trading. The restriction applies to the platform's frontend; the underlying Polymarket API is not separately restricted for Dutch IPs.
Why is Polymarket close-only in the Netherlands?
The Netherlands has a well-developed gambling framework under the Remote Gambling Act (Wet Kansspelen op afstand, Koa), overseen by the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA). Offering gambling without a licence is an offence, and prediction markets don't fit cleanly within the licensed remote-gambling regime. Rather than full geoblocking, Polymarket lists the Netherlands as close-only — existing positions can be closed, but new ones cannot be opened.
Can I close my existing Polymarket positions from the Netherlands?
Yes. Under Polymarket's close-only policy, Dutch users can close positions they already hold. To fund an account and settle or close open positions, you'd buy USDC on a Dutch exchange like Bitvavo via iDEAL or SEPA, then transfer it to your Polymarket deposit address on the Polygon network.
Is Polymarket regulated by DNB or the KSA in the Netherlands?
The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) regulates gambling under the Remote Gambling Act (Koa). Cryptocurrency service providers that hold or exchange crypto for Dutch clients must register with De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing Act (Wwft), and EU-wide MiCA rules also apply. Exchange usage and buying crypto is legal and regulated in the Netherlands — but opening new prediction-market positions on Polymarket's frontend is restricted to close-only.
How is Polymarket taxed in the Netherlands?
In the Netherlands, crypto is taxed as an asset held under box 3 (income from savings and investments), not as realized capital gains on each trade. Assets are taxed on a deemed (fictitious) return, and the 2026 box 3 tax rate is 31%. You report the value of your crypto and other box 3 assets on your annual tax return to the Belastingdienst. The box 3 system is under reform toward taxing actual returns, so consult a Dutch tax adviser for your situation.