The Broadcast, Media and Communications Review Committee has moved to block illegal sports betting sites ahead of the opening of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup.

The committee said on June 9 it decided at a communications review subcommittee meeting on June 8 to terminate use and block access for 1,280 illegal sports betting sites. It said the step was taken to prevent public harm amid expectations that illegal sports gambling will spread by exploiting World Cup-related enthusiasm for soccer.

According to the committee, the illegal sports betting sites targeted not only soccer and baseball but also overseas UFC, boxing and ice hockey matches that are not offered by Betman, the country's only legal sports betting site. In particular, unlike legal sites, they encouraged gambling impulses with a "live betting" function in which odds change in real time even during matches.

The committee said it will strengthen monitoring of illegal sports betting sites during major sports events in cooperation with relevant agencies, including the National Gambling Control Commission, and will block sites swiftly through the end of the tournament.

The committee said, "Illegal sites that use public interest in the World Cup as bait are highly likely to lead directly to 'eat-and-run' 피해 in which they steal deposited stakes and then disappear." It added, "If you find an illegal site, do not access it and report it through the committee's reporting page or by phone."

The number of decisions seeking corrective action against illegal sports gambling sites has been declining. It was tallied at 69,350 cases in 2024 and 43,718 cases in 2025. This year it stands at 5,279 cases as of June 8.