Turkey is taking a strong stance against illegal gambling, shutting down over 230,000 unlicensed betting and gambling websites in 2024. The crackdown is part of an ongoing effort to combat financial crimes and protect citizens from exploitation.
Turkey 's Treasury and Finance Minister is intensifying the crackdown on illegal gambling operators in the country. Last year, over 230,000 unlicensed betting and gambling websites were shut down by the Turkey ’s National Lottery Administration (MPI), a significant increase from the 168,030 sites blocked in the previous year. These sites originated from 95 different countries, with a majority (56%) based in the United States, followed by Armenia (17%) and the Netherlands (6%).
The crackdown also extended to unauthorized draws and raffles, with 286 cases reported to prosecutors. Furthermore, criminal complaints were filed with the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office for 375,367 websites and 6,731 unique domain names. This escalating battle against illegal gambling follows a series of nationwide operations launched in December by the Cyber Crimes Combat Department and the Gendarmerie General Command. These operations have resulted in the detainment of dozens of suspects, including social media influencers who promoted illegal gambling products through their platforms. Similar action has been taken against celebrities and other high-profile individuals who have promoted illegal gambling products. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya emphasized the importance of taking a firm stance against unlicensed gambling. In light of the recent developments, Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek has reaffirmed Turkey’s commitment to combating unlicensed betting. Simsek stated, “We are determined to prevent unregistered economic activities and financial crimes that cause tax loss and victimisation of our citizens. We are taking all kinds of measures to prevent illegal betting, virtual gambling and unauthorised draws, and we will continue to do so.” He warned Turkish citizens against participating in unauthorized draws and reminded organizers of lotteries and raffles on social media about the importance of adhering to Turkish gambling laws. Simsek highlighted that organizing a lottery or raffle without permission from the Administration is a crime punishable by imprisonment from three to six years and a judicial fine.Simsek stressed that permission is required for organizing any kind of lottery or raffle, whether for paid or free goods. Failure to comply could result in administrative, financial, or criminal sanctions as outlined in the relevant legislation. Turkey’s efforts to combat illegal gambling are mirrored by neighboring countries. Bulgaria, for instance, has also taken a strong stance against unlicensed gambling. In 2024, the Bulgarian National Revenue Agency (NRA) shut down more than 2,500 unlicensed gambling websites. The NRA Executive Director, Rumen Spetsov, issued over 640 decisions to halt the operations of these platforms. To ensure transparency and public awareness, the NRA published all decisions and court rulings on its website. The NRA also maintains an updated register of unlicensed gambling sites and encourages Bulgarian users to report any new ones.
GAMBLING TURKEY ILLEGAL GAMBLING ONLINE GAMBLING LAW ENFORCEMENT GOVERNMENT REGULATION
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