Gibraltar has made history by becoming the first jurisdiction in the UK and European Union to grant a licence to a prediction market platform. The announcement was made by Nigel Freeman, Gibraltar’s minister for justice, trade, and industry, who confirmed the development on LinkedIn without initially naming the specific operator. The government’s updated list of approved betting operators has since identified the platform as Predict Street.
The move places Gibraltar firmly against the prevailing European trend. Several EU member states, including Germany and the Netherlands, have ordered prediction markets to cease operating within their borders entirely.
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Who is Predict Street?
Predict Street is a forthcoming crypto-based prediction market backed by ADI Chain, a blockchain project headquartered in Abu Dhabi. The platform has received a Betting Intermediary (B2C) licence from Gibraltar’s Gambling Division and is planning to launch on April 9 — just two months before the FIFA World Cup kicks off on June 11.
Notably, Predict Street claims the title of “Official Prediction Market Partner of the FIFA World Cup 2026” — a positioning that suggests the platform has timed its launch deliberately to capitalise on what is expected to be one of the biggest prediction market trading events of the year.
Why Gibraltar is moving now
Freeman has been candid about the economic rationale behind the decision. Gibraltar’s iGaming sector is a cornerstone of the territory’s economy, generating significant tax and licensing revenue for the government. With the recent increase in UK Gambling Duty set to create revenue shortfalls, Freeman views prediction markets as a meaningful growth opportunity that could help offset those losses.
“There is no room for complacency,” Freeman told the Gibraltar Chronicle. “We must continue to adapt decisively to a changing global economic environment. And adapt we must.”
The minister also acknowledged the competitive threat that prediction markets pose to traditional online gaming — and made clear that inaction was not an option. “We expect this to be a substantial area of potential growth for Gibraltar,” he said.
A hub that knows how to adapt
Gibraltar’s willingness to move quickly on prediction markets is consistent with its broader reputation as one of the most forward-thinking iGaming jurisdictions in the world. The British Overseas Territory, perched at the southern tip of Spain, has long been home to a thriving community of online casinos and sportsbooks operating under Remote Gambling licences issued by its Gambling Division.
By becoming the first government in the UK and EU space to licence a prediction market, Gibraltar is once again positioning itself at the frontier of the industry — and signalling that it intends to remain there.
