Matchbook set to launch first UK-based prediction market
A new competitor to Polymarket and Kalshi in the controversial prediction markets scene is set to launch, with a prominent Australian professional gambler behind the product.
Matchbook, a well-known name in sports betting exchanges, plans to roll out its own prediction market platform in the United Kingdom in January 2026, according to Bloomberg.
Polymarket and Kalshi have become go-to products to monitor public sentiment surrounding topics as diverse as football, politics, crytpo and “when Donald Trump will release Epstein files by…”.
Prediction markets are controversial because they blur the line between gambling, finance, and politics. These platforms let people buy and sell shares in future events — such as elections, policy decisions or major world events — creating odds that reflect crowd sentiment.
Ronan McDonagh, Matchbook’s interim CEO, revealed that the company will begin technology testing in the UK before a targeted launch in the USA in March.
“It should be more understandable,” said McDonagh, “so we’re hopeful that it captures a new audience or intrigues people to take a closer look.”
The move signals a significant expansion for Matchbook, which has operated as a betting exchange — matching buyers and sellers of wagers rather than acting as a traditional bookmaker.
In its prediction market format, Matchbook will present outcomes as probabilities rather than fractional odds. Users will bet “yes” or “no” on future events, mirroring the mechanics of a prediction market while still leveraging the core exchange engine that underpins its sports betting operation.
More heavy-handed governments, like Australia, have outright banned Polymarket and blocked their website, with the Australian Communications and Media Authority accusing them in 2025 of offering betting products to Australians, without a license.
Matchbook is operated by Triplebet Ltd, registered in Guernsey, and majority-owned by Zeljko Ranogajec, an Australian gambling figure with a 20-year legacy in the betting world. He is also the founder of Colussus Bets, one of the most popular pool betting products in the United Kingdom.
