Polymarket eyes Japan entry by 2030, hires regional lead as Kalshi overtakes it in monthly volume!

Polymarket has appointed Mike Eidlin — formerly head of Japan at Jupiter — to lead its push into Japan, where it is seeking government authorization to operate prediction markets by 2030, Bloomberg reported Friday. Japan currently sits on Polymarket's list of restricted jurisdictions, and the country's Penal Code carries prison terms for habitual gambling and operating gambling businesses, though government-authorized activities like horse racing operate under carve-outs.

The expansion move comes as Polymarket's monthly volume slipped to $9 billion in April from $10.57 billion in March — its first monthly decline since August last year — while rival Kalshi surged to $14.81 billion over the same period. The competitive pressure is mounting at a difficult moment.

Polymarket is simultaneously navigating a crowded regulatory calendar: it re-entered the U.S. market via the acquisition of…