Turkey has a notably strict stance against illegal gambling and, to some degree, against gambling as a whole. This attitude is clearly demonstrated by the country's success in shutting down 233,000 websites offering illegal gambling services within its borders over the course of 2024, according to various media reports.
Turkey has undertaken one of its largest crackdowns on illegal gambling
The National Lottery Administration (NLA) of Turkey's Treasury and Finance Ministry has confirmed the number of websites involved in its enforcement actions. The NLA focused on websites offering unlicensed gambling services, including casino games of chance and sports betting. Unexpectedly, many of these websites were based in the United States, with 56% of the closed domains located there. Additionally, Armenia and the Netherlands hosted 17% and 6% of these sites, respectively. In total, 233,000 websites across 95 countries were blocked, highlighting the extensive efforts required to successfully implement these actions. In Turkey, gambling is not entirely prohibited. The country permits certain forms, such as state-run lotteries, sports betting, and horse racing, which are managed locally through platforms like IDDAA or the Turkey Jockey Club. Despite this, Turkey maintains stringent restrictions on gambling and does not allow casinos or online gambling. The illegal nature of games of chance has led illicit operators to aggressively target Turkish residents.
Turkey will continue shuttering bad actors and illicit services
Turkey's Treasury and Finance Minister, Mehmet Şimşek, emphasized the country's commitment to eliminating illegal gambling operations and financial crimes that lead to tax evasion and harm citizens. In a translated statement, he remarked: We are implementing a range of measures to combat illegal betting, virtual gambling, and unauthorized lotteries, and we will persist in these efforts. Minister Şimşek stressed that a valid license is mandatory for conducting any form of legal gambling within Turkey. He promised that the government would continue to target malicious entities, with illegal gambling being a particular focus for the administration.
