{
  "id": 7998421,
  "title": "Polymarket users referred to prosecutors in South Korea: Report",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/polymarket-users-referred-to-prosecutors-in-south-korea-report",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-17T09:37:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Cointelegraph",
    "slug": "cointelegraph",
    "url": "https://cointelegraph.com/news/south-korea-polymarket-users-prosecutors-gambling-probe"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "South Korean authorities have referred 18 Polymarket users to prosecutors in a gambling investigation involving 26 individuals who collectively placed bets totaling $12.7 million. According to the National Police Agency, Gangwon Provincial Police have placed 26 people under investigation and forwarded 18 to prosecutors. Polymarket enables users to trade contracts based on real-world events, operating without a custodian and using a peer-to-peer model. The platform's transactions are tied to blockchain, making it difficult for authorities to track users by name. Users argue that Polymarket should be classified as a crypto derivatives investment market, rather than illegal gambling. However, authorities maintain that Polymarket's structure and operations violate South Korea's Criminal Act due to the unpredictable outcomes involved.",
  "summary": "South Korean police reportedly referred 18 Polymarket users to prosecutors in a gambling probe involving 26 people and $12.7 million in bets.",
  "key_points": [
    "South Korean authorities refer 18 Polymarket users to prosecutors.",
    "26 individuals investigated in gambling investigation.",
    "Polymarket transactions tied to blockchain, complicating user tracking."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}