Police crack down on FIFA World Cup betting rings

Police in several Chinese cities have cracked down on illegal online gambling linked to soccer World Cup matches, detaining multiple suspects and warning the public to stay alert to betting scams disguised as "high odds", "expert predictions" or "guaranteed profit" opportunities.

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup gains momentum, gambling rings have used match traffic to lure internet users through social media posts, chat groups, offshore gambling websites and rebate schemes, police said.

Authorities in Huzhou and Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, Xi'an in Shaanxi province, Jiangyou in Sichuan province and Yulin in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region have recently uncovered cases involving hidden betting operations, promotion of gambling and illegal fund flows. While the cases share similar methods, each also showed varied tactics used to attract gamblers or evade investigation.