Turkish authorities have placed more than 3.1 million people under review in a nationwide illegal betting operation. The move expands the country’s gambling crackdown from operators to users. The operation covers all 81 provinces and comes after months of digital monitoring by cyber police, prosecutors and MASAK, Turkey’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board. The people identified through betting site records are expected to face administrative fines.
Users now face direct penalties
The latest operation takes a tougher line against individual participation in illegal betting. Earlier enforcement focused mainly on site operators, payment agents, proxy bank accounts and illegal betting networks. Authorities identified about 3.17 million people who allegedly used illegal betting platforms.
Each person may receive an administrative fine under Turkish gambling law, depending on the evidence collected during the investigation.
The move gives Turkey a far bigger group of people to pursue. It also raises pressure on banks, payment companies and digital wallet providers, which have already played a key role in recent probes into illegal gambling money flows.
MASAK tracks the payment trail
MASAK has become one of the main agencies in Turkey’s fight against illegal betting. Its work focuses on money laundering, suspicious transfers, proxy accounts and financial networks used to move gambling proceeds.
Turkey blocked nearly ₺5 billion in suspected illegal betting and gambling funds in 2025. Investigations have traced money through bank accounts, payment firms and crypto channels used by betting networks.
A separate April operation involved transactions worth about ₺35.8 billion. That case targeted people accused of helping illegal betting networks move money and launder proceeds through the financial system.
Football scandal added pressure
The crackdown also follows a betting scandal in Turkish football. The Turkish Football Federation has investigated referees, players and club officials over betting activity, with bans and criminal probes following the first findings.
That case increased public pressure on authorities to act against illegal betting. It also connected the gambling issue to sports integrity, not only financial crime.
Turkey allows only limited legal betting through state-authorised channels. Illegal online betting remains common, with offshore websites and informal payment networks continuing to target Turkish customers.
