Turkish security forces have conducted 1,120 operations targeting online illegal gambling and betting between Jan. 1, 2024, and Oct. 6, 2025, resulting in the seizure of cash and assets totaling TL 15.8 billion ($379 million), authorities said.
Officials say the operations are part of an ongoing effort to combat crimes that negatively affect national and moral values, weaken public trust in law enforcement and expand the informal economy, leading to significant tax losses.
According to information from Ministry of Interior sources, the fight against illegal betting is carried out through a multi-faceted strategy aimed at both organizers and their local networks. Over the past five years, 109 organized crime groups have been targeted.
In operations conducted last year, authorities detained 3,397 suspects across 499 raids, with 1,088 formally arrested. This year, up to Oct. 6, 3,394 suspects have been detained in 621 operations, with 1,313 sent to prison.
Revenues from Türkiye’s legal betting market reached TL 590.9 billion in 2024, according to the Sports Toto Organization’s audit report published in September 2025. Authorities estimate that the illegal betting market is approximately twice the size of the legal market.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya highlighted the social dangers posed by online gambling, noting that technological advancements and digitalization have made societies more isolated while creating new avenues for crime.
“Illegal betting is a trap and exploitation chain,” Yerlikaya said. “These dark networks especially lure our youth with promises of easy gains, pushing them into debt, crime and even suicide. Families are broken, financial collapse deepens and mental health deteriorates. As a ministry, we address the entire economy of crimes, including money laundering, digital fraud and illegal gambling, in a holistic manner. We continue to carry out a multi-faceted fight against illegal betting and gambling networks, and we will continue to do so.”
Authorities say the crackdown is ongoing, reflecting a sustained commitment to dismantle criminal networks that threaten both public trust and the financial system.
