Turkish football has been thrust into its most serious integrity crisis in decades after a sweeping investigation uncovered widespread illegal betting involving referees, players and senior club officials, triggering mass suspensions, criminal arrests and deepening concerns over the credibility of domestic competitions.
The probe, known in Türkiye as the “futbolda bahis” investigation, is being conducted jointly by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) and the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
As of Dec. 30, 2025, it has resulted in more than a thousand disciplinary cases, multiple nationwide arrest operations and significant disruption to professional leagues, particularly outside the top flight.
Warning signs had been building early in 2025.
In February, FIFA-listed referee Yaşar Kemal Uğurlu resigned after allegations that he had gambled at a casino in Northern Cyprus, an incident that initially appeared isolated but soon exposed deeper concerns within the refereeing system.
By September, several referees had lodged formal complaints accusing the Central Referees Committee of biased appointments and internal pressure, prompting judicial inquiries that were eventually consolidated in Istanbul and expanded to include financial and communications analysis.
Following his election, TFF President Ibrahim Hacıosmanoğlu ordered a comprehensive audit of referees’ financial activity, focusing on betting accounts and transaction histories.
FIFA, UEFA and Turkish law strictly prohibit football officials from gambling on matches, with Turkish legislation allowing prison sentences of up to 12 years in organized match-manipulation cases.
The scale of the problem became public on Oct. 27, when Hacıosmanoğlu revealed that 371 of 571 professional referees held registered betting accounts and that 152 had actively placed bets on football, including Süper Lig and lower-division matches.
Investigators found extreme cases in which referees placed thousands of wagers, including one official who bet more than 18,000 times.
The disclosure stunned the football community and triggered immediate disciplinary action.
The Turkish Football Federation moved swiftly, invoking its Football Discipline Instruction to impose suspensions that effectively ended many careers.
By late October and through December, more than 150 referees received bans ranging from eight to 12 months, while over 1,000 players across all divisions were referred to the Professional Football Discipline Board.
Additional waves followed, including the referral of hundreds of regional referees and observers.
The cumulative effect forced the postponement of TFF 2. Lig and TFF 3. Lig matches for two weeks due to squad shortages, while appeals for an emergency transfer window were rejected.
On Dec. 29, the TFF Arbitration Board upheld suspensions for 70 footballers, confirming penalties ranging from three to 12 months and rejecting all appeals.
The board ruled that betting violations were clearly established and that disciplinary procedures had been correctly applied, making the bans final.
Running alongside the sporting sanctions, prosecutors launched a criminal investigation into illegal betting, match manipulation and money laundering, supported by intelligence from MASAK, licensed betting platforms, telecommunications data and digital evidence seized during earlier operations.
The inquiry expanded rapidly through successive arrest waves.
The first operation in early November focused on referees and club officials, resulting in eight arrests.
A second wave in early December targeted suspicious match patterns and third-party betting arrangements, detaining dozens of suspects including professional players and former executives.
The most significant escalation came between Dec. 26 and 30, when coordinated raids across 11 provinces led to 29 detentions and 18 arrests, among them Eyüpspor vice president Fatih Kulaksız and 14 professional footballers.
TFF External Relations and National Teams Administrative Director Buğra Cem İmamoğulları was questioned and later released.
Prosecutors linked several suspects to betting activity surrounding the Oct. 26, 2024, Kasımpaşa-Samsunspor match, citing financial trails and messaging records suggesting wagers placed on match outcomes and in-game incidents.
Evidence also included third-party betting and communication between players discussing betting behavior.
One of the most high-profile cases involved former Galatasaray executive Erden Timur, whose file was separated from the betting investigation and transferred to a specialized bureau on money laundering charges.
Prosecutors cited large cryptocurrency transfers and nearly TL 1 billion ($23.3 million) in unexplained financial movements, raising the scope of the scandal beyond football-related offenses.
Timur has denied wrongdoing.
The fallout has shaken Turkish football at every level.
Major clubs including Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray, Beşiktaş and Trabzonspor have publicly demanded transparency over affected matches, while political figures and former national team coaches questioned the integrity of previous seasons.
Some players and referees have argued that their betting activity occurred during amateur periods or did not influence matches, but authorities maintain that any football-related betting constitutes a serious integrity violation.
The TFF has pledged reforms, including mandatory ethics education, enhanced monitoring of betting activity and closer coordination with law enforcement.
Still, officials acknowledge that the scandal has exposed deep structural weaknesses in oversight and accountability.
With criminal proceedings ongoing and further disciplinary actions expected in 2026, Turkish football faces a prolonged effort to restore trust in a system that has been fundamentally shaken by the scale of the revelations.
