- Joined
- Feb 6, 2019
- Messages
- 198
The law says No, but players say Yes
Turkey officially prohibits gambling. Online casinos are illegal, and betting is strictly regulated. However, this hasn't stopped the market from thriving. There is a large audience, gambling is ingrained in the culture. Moreover, there is substantial demand for unregulated platforms.
What Is Allowed and What Is Prohibited?
In Turkey, the oversight of blocking illegal gambling and betting websites is carried out by the Telecommunications Authority (BTK — Bilgi Teknolojileri ve İletişim Kurumu). The BTK uses techniques such as IP blocking, URL filtering, deep packet inspection (DPI), and VPN restrictions. In 2024, 233,000 illegal sites were blocked, and work is underway on 375,000 addresses in 2025.
Gray Market Figures
Turkey officially prohibits gambling. Online casinos are illegal, and betting is strictly regulated. However, this hasn't stopped the market from thriving. There is a large audience, gambling is ingrained in the culture. Moreover, there is substantial demand for unregulated platforms.
What Is Allowed and What Is Prohibited?
Allowed: Sports betting via the IDDAA platform, lotteries, horse racing, but only with a license.
Prohibited: Online casinos, unlicensed gambling websites, advertising gambling services.
Penalties: Account freezing and fines of 5,000 TRY for playing as well as up to 5 years in prison and fines of up to 5 million TRY for organizing illegal gambling activities.
In Turkey, the oversight of blocking illegal gambling and betting websites is carried out by the Telecommunications Authority (BTK — Bilgi Teknolojileri ve İletişim Kurumu). The BTK uses techniques such as IP blocking, URL filtering, deep packet inspection (DPI), and VPN restrictions. In 2024, 233,000 illegal sites were blocked, and work is underway on 375,000 addresses in 2025.
Gray Market Figures
- Legal Betting Income (2024): $921 million
- Illegal market
