Israelis indicted over Polymarket betting using classified military intel
Authorities say no senior officials are involved; IDF confirms no operational harm occurred.
The Tel Aviv District Court on Thursday unsealed an indictment against a civilian and an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reservist accused of using classified military intelligence to place bets on the online prediction platform Polymarket. The court approved the publication at the request of the State Attorney’s Office Cyber Division.
According to the indictment, the reservist had access to internal military information through his role in the IDF. Prosecutors allege that he and the civilian used that information to place wagers on Polymarket related to military operations. Last month, public broadcaster Kan 11 reported that defense officials suspected classified information about strikes in Iran had been used on the betting site. Contrary to some recent reports, the case does not involve senior defense officials, and the indictment does not include national security charges.
In a joint operation by the Shin Bet internal security agency, the Malmab security unit, and the Israel Police, several suspects were arrested on suspicion of managing bets on Polymarket concerning military operations. Prosecutors said the bets were allegedly based on classified information to which the reservists were exposed through their military duties.
Following an investigation by Malmab and Shin Bet, the State Attorney’s Office decided to file criminal charges against the two main suspects. They are accused of serious security offenses, bribery, and obstruction of justice. Authorities emphasized that neither defendant holds a senior position in the defense establishment.
In a statement, the IDF condemned the actions.
“The IDF views any act that endangers the security of the state gravely, and in particular the use of highly classified information for the purpose of personal gain,” the military said.
“This constitutes a severe ethical failure and a clear crossing of a red line, which are not in line with IDF values and what is expected of its servicemembers. Criminal and disciplinary proceedings will be taken against any individual found to have been involved in actions of this kind.”
The IDF added that “according to the findings of the investigation, no operational harm was caused in the current incident.”
“The IDF will not tolerate conduct of this kind. Following the incident, steps were taken, and procedures will be sharpened across all IDF units, with the aim of preventing the recurrence of similar cases,” the statement continued.
Kan 11 reported that in June 2025, an anonymous user on Polymarket, which allows wagers on future global events, successfully bet tens of thousands of dollars on four security-related developments in Israel during its 12-day conflict with Iran. The user accurately predicted that Israel would strike Iran on a Friday, that a strike would occur by the end of June 2025, that an announcement would mark the end of the operation by July, and that a strike would occur before July.
Similar concerns have surfaced internationally. In early January, a Polymarket user in the United States reportedly earned nearly $500,000 by betting that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro would be removed from office in January, just hours before a covert U.S. operation in Caracas.
Authorities and the IDF have emphasized that the case highlights ethical and operational risks associated with the misuse of classified information in real-time prediction markets, even if no direct harm occurs.
