Polymarket Seeks Tokyo Approval by 2030, Names Japan Lead

Polymarket has set 2030 as a target to secure regulatory approval for its prediction markets in Tokyo and has appointed Mike Eidlin to lead its Japan effort. Eidlin currently heads Japan operations at crypto firm Jupiter.

The company established the four-year timeline to allow time for engagement with Japanese regulators and to adapt its product to local rules. Japan is on Polymarket’s frontend-restricted list, which limits access for users in the country.

Eidlin will coordinate outreach to regulators, local partners and other stakeholders as Polymarket pursues formal clearance in Japan. The company said the appointment reflects experience operating in the market and the need for dedicated local leadership.

Polymarket already restricts or blocks access in more than 30 countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Australia and Poland. Argentina ordered a nationwide block of the platform in March. The firm was barred from the U.S. for roughly three years before regaining clearance from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission in September 2025.

How Japanese authorities classify Polymarket’s event contracts under domestic law will determine which licensing rules apply. Contracts treated as securities, derivatives or gambling products would fall under different regulatory regimes and consumer protections.

The company plans to clarify product definitions with regulators, modify its offerings where required, and pursue any necessary approvals or exemptions over the coming years. Polymarket has identified Japan as a large market with an active retail trading population and is allocating resources to pursue access there.

Other prediction-market platforms have faced enforcement or blocking actions in multiple jurisdictions. Polymarket’s effort to seek approval in Tokyo will proceed alongside those wider regulatory developments.