Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok has been named an honorary police officer by the Korean National Police Agency, placing one of esports’ most recognizable figures at the center of South Korea’s campaign against youth cyber gambling.
The agency appointed the T1 star on July 22, 2026, as a prevention ambassador with the honorary rank of gyeongjang, commonly translated as police constable or senior patrol officer. Faker will not be making arrests. His job is to persuade young people already in trouble to ask for help before gambling debts, legal consequences and illegal lenders make matters worse.
Officials cited his public profile, professionalism and reputation for self-control. Faker said he felt “a great sense of responsibility” and would work to raise awareness of gambling risks and the voluntary reporting program.
How the voluntary reporting system works
South Korea’s nationwide Youth Cyber Gambling Voluntary Reporting System runs from May 18 through August 31. People under 19, or their guardians, can report gambling activity through the 117 hotline.
School Police Officers and specialist gambling-prevention counselors then conduct an initial interview and addiction assessment. Depending on the case, the young person may be referred to treatment and rehabilitation services.
Possible legal consideration includes a warning or a request for summary judgment, but leniency is not automatic. Police assess each case rather than offering a general exemption from consequences, which would be a rather generous loophole for an anti-gambling program.
The system also addresses harms that extend beyond betting itself. Young people caught up with illegal private lenders can be connected to financial-relief services, recognizing that gambling problems often arrive with debt and pressure attached.
As of July 16, authorities had recorded 806 voluntary disclosures, according to Inven Global and Maeil Business Newspaper.
What the early results show
The national system followed pilot programs conducted by eight regional police agencies. Those trials identified 512 young people involved in cyber gambling.
Within three months, four participants had returned to gambling, producing a short-term relapse rate of 0.8%. That figure does not establish how participants will fare over a longer period, but it gives officials an early measure for a policy built around intervention and treatment rather than punishment alone.
Acting Commissioner General Yoo Jae-sung said early detection and treatment were crucial. He also expressed hope that Faker’s influence would give young people the courage to report their gambling and seek support.
That is the practical value of the appointment. A police campaign can explain procedures, but a familiar figure may make the first contact feel less intimidating. For teenagers who know Faker through years of League of Legends competition, his involvement turns an institutional message into one delivered by someone they already recognize.
What Faker will do during the campaign
Faker will appear in campaign videos and posters through August 31, when the current reporting window closes. Young people who complete gambling-rehabilitation programs may also receive uniforms signed by him.
The appointment is less a sudden detour into public service than a continuation of work he had already begun. Since 2024, Faker has served as an ambassador for Hana Financial Group’s separate youth-gambling initiative, a three-year program backed by 10 billion won.
Hana Financial Group Chairman Ham Young-joo previously said youth gambling required a comprehensive response covering both prevention and treatment. The police campaign adds voluntary disclosure, case assessment and potential legal consideration to that broader approach.
Faker’s role also reflects the unusual reach he has built beyond esports. He has won the League of Legends World Championship six times with T1, including three consecutive titles, giving officials a spokesperson whose audience extends well beyond regular public-service campaigns.
Why the appointment carries extra weight
The police title follows several other honors for Faker in 2026. He received the Cheongnyong Medal, South Korea’s highest class of the Order of Sport Merit, after T1’s historic third straight world championship.
He was also named a Global Ambassador for the Esports World Cup alongside chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen and footballer Cristiano Ronaldo.
Those honors celebrate competitive achievement and international visibility. The gambling campaign asks for something more personal: using that credibility to reach young people who may be frightened of punishment or ashamed to admit they need help.
Faker cannot determine whether the reporting system succeeds, and celebrity involvement cannot replace counselors, treatment providers or financial support. It can, however, make the offer of help easier to hear. For this campaign, that is the point of the badge.
