Gibraltar licenses prediction markets under bespoke gambling-backed framework
Gibraltar's Prediction Market Regulations 2026 took effect under the Gambling Act 2025, carving prediction markets out of gambling rules and creating a standalone licensing framework. The British Overseas Territory has already licensed two platforms: ADI Predictstreet, which holds a betting license, and Wire Markets, already approved under the regime. The territory's minister will open Europe's first prediction markets summit following the new rules.
Gibraltar's carve-out gives prediction market operators a concrete place to incorporate today while Malta's framework remains unfinished. The territory's existing gambling infrastructure means licenses can move fast: two platforms are already approved. That speed matters because European operators are running out of clean jurisdictions. France just ordered ISPs to block Polymarket, and the French pattern of gambling blacklists is spreading.
Operators who need European regulatory cover now face a narrowing map. Gibraltar's summit play signals it will compete for conference revenue and compliance staffing, not just license fees. The risk is that Brussels eventually harmonizes rules and overrides national carve-outs, turning Gibraltar's head start into a costly relocation. For now, it is the only game in Europe with live licenses.