Photo: VCG

Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, said on Tuesday that it had banned 40,000 accounts since early June, as part of a stepped-up crackdowns on illegal sports betting and traffic-directing content during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in a bid to promote a rational and orderly viewing environment. 

According to a statement released by the platform, since issuing a “notice on governing World Cup-related illegal sports betting” in early June, Xiaohongshu has taken over 12 enforcement actions against coordinated traffic diverting groups as of Tuesday. The crackdown has resulted in the ban of over 40,000 group-affiliated accounts, the removal of 65,000 gambling-related posts, and the cleanup of more than 450,000 comments related to such illicit promotion.

According to the statement, the World Cup is a peak period for organized gambling-related activities. The platform has proactively reported and transferred 12 clues to public security authorities in localities and assisted the law enforcement in Guangxi, Beijing, Zhejiang, and other places in investigating and cracking down on five traffic-diverting groups. 

Any form of online gambling, illegal prediction betting, and related traffic-diverting activities are suspected of violating laws and regulations, the statement said. The platform will act against violative content and accounts per its rules – measures include, but not limited to, removing offending posts, restricting private messaging and group chat features, and permanently banning accounts that disseminate illegal sports betting information, according to the statement. 

Xiaohongshu has called on its users to watch matches rationally, engage in civilized discussions, and stay alert to all forms of illegal sports betting. It also urged internet users to report suspected violations through the platform’s reporting system.

Global Times