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Gibraltar has issued its first licence to a prediction markets operator, giving the territory an early position in a segment that is still unsettled across much of Europe. The approval went to Predict Street Ltd, while officials also signaled they expect more growth from the vertical.
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The licence was issued before the new Gambling Act came into force, so Gibraltar used the older 2005 Gambling Act to get the approval through. In parliament on Tuesday, Minister for Justice, Trade and Industry Nigel Feetham said: “We expect this to be a substantial area of growth for Gibraltar.” He added: “A new licence has been issued, not withstanding that the new Gambling Act had not yet been brought into force and the new licence had to be issued under the previous legislation. This represents record timing for the issuing of a regulatory licence in Gibraltar.”
According to Gibraltar gambling records, Predict Street Ltd was licensed as a betting intermediary on 26 March. Predictstreet.io says it is the official prediction market partner of the upcoming Fifa World Cup 2026 and shows a countdown to a 9 April launch. The platform is powered by Abu Dhabi-based blockchain provider ADI Chain.
The timing matters for Gibraltar. The territory has been looking for ways to strengthen its regulatory pitch after UK gambling duty changes increased pressure on operators based there. Feetham said he had taken a more direct role in promoting Gibraltar offering after those tax changes.
Gibraltar now appears to be the first European market to directly license a prediction markets operator. Malta is moving in a similar direction, but it has not yet reached the same stage. On 26 March, Economy Minister Silvio Schembri said Malta was “actively exploring the emerging field of prediction markets, an area experiencing rapid global momentum which presents significant opportunities for innovation”. He also said any legislative change would need to be “supported by a clear, forward-looking legislative framework that enables it to develop responsibly and at scale”.
Elsewhere, the picture is much tougher. Germany and the Netherlands keep strict limits around novelty-style sports betting markets, while countries such as the Netherlands and France have treated prediction markets more like illegal gambling or unlicensed financial products. Both have blocked Polymarket.
That leaves Gibraltar in a different position. Instead of waiting, it has gone ahead and issued a licence, giving Predict Street a head start as Europe keeps debating where prediction markets fit.