South Korean Police Identify 26 Polymarket Users in Illegal Gambling Probe

South Korea’s Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Police Agency cyber investigation unit identified 26 Polymarket users after analyzing public blockchain transaction records and on-chain open-source intelligence, and filed cases on suspicion of illegal gambling. According to Odaily, 18 of them have been referred to prosecutors, with total bets reaching $12.7 million and the largest single-user wager at $4.1 million. Police began a preliminary investigation in March and filed cases against those involved in May. The Korea Communications Standards Commission ordered Polymarket blocked on August 18, but the transactions under investigation took place while the platform was still accessible. Police are pursuing the case under Article 246 of South Korea’s Criminal Act.