Prosecutors in Istanbul are advancing with a case against eight individuals accused of manipulating live betting systems, leading to financial losses totaling TL12 million (approximately $241,144) for licensed bookmakers.
The investigation centers around an individual identified as OB, a data analyst with Spordata, which supplies sports data and operational infrastructure to betting operators in Turkey.
Prosecutors allege that OB misused his position by intentionally delaying the transmission of live odds by about seven seconds during various sports events, particularly in tennis and volleyball. This lag enabled him and his associates, who had opened betting accounts, to place bets while having prior knowledge of actual scores, thereby creating an unfair advantage.
The repercussions of the delayed data transmission reportedly affected Spordata itself, along with the legal betting operators that depend on its data services, resulting in estimated losses of TL12 million due to the scheme.
Recovered communications include WhatsApp messages suggesting that OB expected to profit significantly from these activities, with statements like “We will make good money” and “I am managing the system right now.” However, OB has denied any awareness of the operations when questioned by police and prosecutors.
OB was detained in July following these findings. Moreover, further investigations by Turkey’s financial crimes unit have uncovered substantial financial activity in OB’s accounts, with total inflows and outflows amounting to TL192 million, indicating significant financial transactions potentially linked to the betting manipulation.
After coordinated police efforts in Istanbul, eight other suspects connected to the scheme have been arrested and face judicial actions alongside OB. In a separate effort, officials announced last month the initiation of a focused investigation into an illegal betting network operating across eight provinces, which has been linked to suspicious financial activity amounting to TL17.75 billion.
The Interior Ministry has made it clear that they will continue their crackdown on illicit online gambling as part of their broader strategy to prevent criminal proceeds from entering the economy through banking and payment channels. Earlier this year, Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi described illegal betting as a “scourge that corrupts society” and stressed a commitment to stricter enforcement measures to combat it.
