Turkey has issued its most extensive indictment of criminal charges for illegal gambling, as the government of Erdogan commences international investigations against illicit firms in both gambling and finance.
This week, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office filed an indictment against 57 suspects, seeking prison sentences ranging from six to 39 years for offences. These include establishing a criminal organisation, laundering the proceeds of crime and facilitating illegal gambling targeting Turkish consumers.
At the centre of the case are allegations that Malta-based Fincrypto UAB (Paymix) provided payment processing and cryptocurrency infrastructure that enabled illegal betting operators to move and conceal criminal proceeds. Prosecutors estimate that the network processed approximately TRY210bn (€4.5bn) in betting transactions, with illicit revenues allegedly passing through payment institutions before being converted into crypto assets.
The investigation, led by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office with support from Turkey’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), outlines what prosecutors describe as a sophisticated cross-border operation spanning Turkey, Northern Cyprus, Malta, Albania and Dubai.
Fight moves beyond Turkish Borders
According to the indictment, investigators identified 56 illegal betting platforms, around 14 million registered betting accounts, databases containing details linked to three million Turkish identity numbers and eight million mobile phone numbers. Authorities also detailed an extensive technical infrastructure comprising more than 500 physical and virtual servers, 800 VPN accounts, 600 remote desktop devices and dozens of management systems used to administer betting operations, customer accounts and payment flows.
Prosecutors allege that the organisation was led by Burak Başel, founder of Basel Holding, who is said to have exercised effective control over Paymix through his ownership interests while also holding stakes in businesses linked to betting software and payment services. The indictment further alleges that cryptocurrency was systematically used to obscure the origin of criminal proceeds before funds were transferred to overseas wallets.
The prosecution forms part of a wider policy agenda under Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, whose ministry has strengthened Turkey’s criminal enforcement framework against illegal gambling. Recent reforms have increased investigative powers, expanded coordination between prosecutors, financial regulators and cybercrime units, and introduced tougher sanctions for offences linked to illegal betting and organised financial crime.
The authorities’ approach has also drawn attention to the prosecution of fintech entrepreneur Ahmet Faruk Karslı, founder of Turkish neobank and digital wallet Papara, in a separate but closely watched case. Prosecutors allege that Papara’s infrastructure facilitated approximately TRY12bn (more than €250m) in transactions connected to illegal gambling through around 280 “mule” bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets. The case is being closely monitored by Turkey’s banking and fintech industries as regulators place greater emphasis on payment providers’ responsibilities in detecting and preventing illicit financial activity.
Since February, MASAK has assumed an expanded role as the principal supervisory authority for financial transactions involving higher-risk sectors, including gambling, lending and insurance. Financial institutions are now subject to enhanced reporting requirements, more stringent customer due diligence obligations and greater scrutiny of payment flows that may indicate organised criminal activity.
Erodgan demands results by end of 2026
Alongside domestic enforcement, Ankara has increasingly focused on the international routes through which gambling-related payments are processed.
Justice Minister Gürlek and MASAK have recommended that President Erdoğan and the AKP government to strengthen oversight of Turkey’s banking infrastructure and address loopholes facilitating bank transfers to jurisdictions associated with offshore gambling businesses.
MASAK has identified Malta, Cyprus, Armenia, North Macedonia and Georgia as jurisdictions warranting closer scrutiny, arguing that payment channels connected to these markets have, in some cases, been exploited by criminal networks targeting Turkish consumers. The government’s review is expected to consider correspondent banking relationships, payment institution oversight and cryptocurrency transfers as part of a broader strategy to strengthen financial controls.
By the end of 2026, senior AKP officials are expected to present President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with a year-end assessment outlining how state agencies have prioritised efforts to combat illegal gambling.
The initiative has become an important component of the administration’s law enforcement agenda, aligning with Erdoğan’s longstanding emphasis on protecting “the well-being of Turkish families and the nation’s youth”…
Significant progress is expected by the President as a key mandate to fulfil his goal to win his fourth Presidential Election in which all Turkish state agencies will play a key part.
