South Korea’s Gangwon Provincial Police Agency has launched the country’s first investigation into local Polymarket users in order to assess whether the platform’s event...
South Korea restricts 1,280 betting sites ahead of World Cup
As part of a preemptive action ahead of the World Cup 2026, the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) announced that it has blocked 1,280 illegal betting websites.
The regulator shared that the enforcement action aims to prevent harm to the public, as the FIFA tournament is expected to generate huge volumes of betting activity. According to the commission, the now-blocked websites offered bets on football, baseball, boxing, ice hockey, and UFC.
Generally, sports betting is not banned in South Korea; however, operators require a license to offer these products legally, with the only local license holder being Betman at the moment.
Authorities also added that illegal platforms promote live betting, which is directly prohibited in the country, as South Korea closes betting services before a sports event begins.
Another concern expressed by the commission was that unlicensed operators might use the popularity of the World Cup to attract players, collect their deposits, and disappear without providing payouts, effectively exploiting public interest. Because of this, the commission revealed that it will cooperate with the National Gambling Control Commission and other relevant agencies to increase supervision and block illegal websites during the tournament period.
Additionally, the regulator shared that it has handled 5,279 cases in total connected to illegal betting sites from January 2026 to June 2026.
The authorities in South Korea have launched an investigation into Polymarket to decide whether the platform’s product is classified as illegal gambling under the country’s...
