Hsinchu: A Hsinchu man has been granted deferred prosecution after admitting to placing a small bet on a local election outcome via an overseas online prediction market platform, prosecutors said Wednesday. The man, surnamed Ho, placed a bet on a Kuomintang (KMT) win for the 2026 Taiwanese Local Elections.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Hsinchu District Prosecutors Office identified the platform as "Polymarket," a Panama-based cryptocurrency prediction market. This platform had offered a market titled "2026 Taiwanese Local Elections: Party Winner," which allowed users to bet on which party would secure the most mayoral and magistrate seats in the Nov. 28 elections. Ho placed his NT$227 (US$7) bet on February 6 under the account name "Anon."
Prosecutors emphasized that election-related betting is a violation of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act, as it could undermine electoral fairness by influencing public perception. However, given Ho's lack of prior criminal record, his admission of wrongdoing, and his demonstration of remorse, prosecutors opted for deferred prosecution.
They further warned that election betting promotes speculation and undermines democratic integrity, urging the public to refrain from engaging in such activities. Under Taiwanese law, betting in public or through online and electronic means is illegal and may result in fines up to NT$50,000, except in cases considered as "temporary amusement." Betting on election outcomes carries penalties of up to six months in prison or a maximum fine of NT$100,000.