Turkey arrests 47 in massive illegal online gambling crackdown
Officials said those arrested were involved in managing illegal gambling websites and facilitating the transfer of illicit proceeds.
KATHMANDU: Turkish authorities have detained 47 suspects in a sweeping crackdown on illegal online gambling operations across 23 provinces, the Interior Ministry announced on Tuesday.
The coordinated raids, centered in the southern province of Adana, uncovered financial transactions worth approximately 5 billion Turkish lira (around $108 million), according to the ministry’s statement on social media platform X.
Officials said those arrested were involved in managing illegal gambling websites and facilitating the transfer of illicit proceeds.
During the operation, authorities seized or placed restrictions on a wide range of assets linked to the suspects, including a fake company, 23 residential properties, 29 vehicles, 13 land parcels, 4,742 bank accounts, and six cryptocurrency accounts.
Turkey maintains strict anti-gambling laws. Casinos were banned in 1998, and all non-government online betting platforms were declared illegal in 2006.
Only state-run platforms such as İddaa and Milli Piyango are legally permitted to operate.
A 2025 national survey indicated that 10.1% of adults in Turkey have engaged in gambling at least once, while rising illegal online betting among young people aged 15–24 has raised growing concern among policymakers.
In a separate development, Turkish authorities also seized large amounts of undeclared cash at Antalya Airport.
During a customs inspection of a passenger arriving from Paris, officials discovered €381,750 hidden inside six baby diapers in a carry-on bag.
The passenger is now under investigation by prosecutors, as Turkish customs law requires declaration of cash exceeding €10,000 upon entry.
