In a major crackdown, Turkish authorities have targeted illegal betting operations across eight provinces, resulting in significant seizures. This operation is part of an ongoing effort to combat illegal betting networks, spurred by investigations that revealed suspicious financial transactions involving 177 suspects.
The Turkish Interior Ministry reported that accounts linked to these suspects showed dubious activity totaling 17.75 billion lira, equating to about $365.8 million. The operation was the outcome of coordinated efforts from various agencies, including the cybercrime and anti-smuggling units, the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), and local prosecutors, leading to raids in Adıyaman, Konya, Manisa, Muğla, Tekirdağ, Siirt, Muş, and Çorum.
Officials have accused the suspects of running illegal betting websites and enabling the flow of gambling proceeds through Türkiye's financial system. The Interior Ministry has vowed to continue this offensive against digital illegal gambling, viewing it as part of a broader strategy to keep criminal proceeds from infiltrating the economy via banking and payment systems.
Under Türkiye's Law No. 7258, operating gambling activities without a license is illegal, and such offenses frequently intersect with money laundering and fraud accusations, intensifying the legal repercussions for those involved.
This recent initiative is one thread in Türkiye's broader commitment to combat illegal betting, a commitment that has intensified through 2026. Earlier this year, Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi described illegal betting as a "scourge that corrupts society" and highlighted the need for stricter enforcement.
Çiftçi pointed out that the rise of digital payments and cryptocurrencies has turned illegal betting into a significant avenue for money laundering. He stated, “Casinos, junkets, cryptocurrencies, and underground banking are the most crucial components of the money laundering infrastructure fueling international organized crime,” and predicted that the global gambling market would reach $205 billion by 2030.
Since 2006, the Turkish government has blocked over 548,420 illegal gambling websites, including 84,000 in just 2025.
On 10 September, during a panel event organized by the Directorate of Communications, Deputy Minister of Interior Ali Çelik echoed these sentiments, suggesting that addressing addiction would be key to reducing illegal betting activities. He remarked, “If we can eliminate this sector, we will also minimize the funds flowing into the hands of the next criminal organization.”
Associate Professor Mehmet Dinç, president of the Turkish Green Crescent Society, further elaborated on this issue. He emphasized the importance of understanding the relationship between supply and demand in the battle against illegal betting. “In the fight against gambling, combating supply alone is not enough. Combating demand alone is not enough; simply shutting down websites is not enough. This is an ecosystem: it starts with advertisements and continues through social media, sporting activities, influencers, games, mobile applications, payment systems, loans, bets, losses, debt, and continued betting.”
