Türkiye cracks down on illegal betting: authorities arrest over 20 suspects Video

Turkish security forces announced a sweeping operation across 23 provinces targeting illegal betting networks operating online. 

Over the past 18 months, authorities apprehended 42 suspects allegedly involved in illicit betting and money-laundering operations. Among them, 27 have been remanded in custody while judicial control measures have been applied to the remaining 15 suspects, Turkish Interior minister Ali Yerlikaya wrote on X, Caliber.Az reports. 

23 ilde "Yasa Dışı Bahis" suçuna yönelik Jandarmamız tarafından düzenlenen operasyonlarımızda;
Son 1,5 yıl içinde hesaplarında 6 Milyar 182 Milyon TL işlem hacmi bulunan 42 şüpheliyi yakaladık❗️

-27’si TUTUKLANDI.
-15’i hakkında adli kontrol hükümleri uygulandı.

Bu kişiler… pic.twitter.com/42XSZgVX0P

— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) December 3, 2025

According to him, the suspects’ bank and cryptocurrency accounts recorded a combined transaction volume of 6,182,000,000 Turkish lira ($146 million).

In connection with the raids, law enforcement seized roughly 203,000,000 Turkish lira  (about $ 4.8 million) worth of assets,  including 25 properties, 25 vehicles, 428 bank accounts, and 35 cryptocurrency wallets.

Authorities identified operations across many major provinces and cities, among them the metropolitan hubs of İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir, and Gaziantep. Prosecutors in each jurisdiction have launched formal investigations.

Yerlikaya hailed the operation as a success, saying the crackdown averted significant “financial and moral harm” to citizens by disrupting these illicit networks.

By Sabina Mammadli