The state-run Anadolu news agency recently reported that authorities are intensifying a sweeping crackdown on illegal gambling networks and online betting platforms. Turkey is preparing legislation to restrict betting advertisements. The new rules would expand existing restrictions already in place for alcohol and tobacco ads.
Anadolu said the government will include the planned restriction in a broader bill. It expects to send the bill to parliament in the coming days. The draft legislation targets to curb the spread of betting, specifically among minors, through outlawing all forms of betting-related advertising.
Anadolu said the Justice Ministry, Interior Ministry, and the Ministry of Family and Social Services have been doing technical work on the proposal. The work focuses specifically on preventing use by minors aged 15 to 18. It would introduce additional measures to restrict access to betting platforms.
The move targets professional football, fintech, and social media platforms. It follows a series of high-profile investigations that have exposed the scale of illegal betting in Turkey.
In early December, an Istanbul court ordered the arrest of 20 people. They include 11 footballers from Turkey’s first and second divisions. Authorities accuse nine of them of betting on matches involving their own teams. The case is part of a wider investigation that has already led to the imprisonment of referees and club executives, as well as the dismissal of nearly 150 officials through the Turkish Football Federation (TFF).
Authorities have also targeted celebrities and online influencers over accusations of promoting illegal betting. Authorities placed numerous high-profile entertainers under house arrest in a separate probe in 2024. In June, police also detained 10 social media influencers over livestreams allegedly encouraging gambling.
Prosecutors have launched numerous operations against electronic money institutions and payment companies accused of laundering betting proceeds in recent months. These include an investigation into an Istanbul-based electronic money firm and Papara, one of Turkey’s most widely used payment platforms. Both are accused of facilitating illegal betting transactions. The probe ultimately led to the arrest of 11 people. They include the founder and CEO of the company, Ahmed Faruk Karsh.
