The AKP government of Turkey is preparing to launch a new phase of its fight against illegal gambling operators, with enforcement extending beyond its home frontiers and platforms.
The message was relayed by Cevdet Yılmaz, Vice President of Turkey, in his update to the leaders of state authorities, who were warned: “AKP is resolute in continuing the fight to eradicate the criminal structures of illegal gambling”.
Since October 2025, all Turkish authorities have been mandated to cooperate in the AKP’s ‘Action Plan’ to eliminate illegal gambling, something that was pledged by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the last general election.
The latest coordinated crackdown on illegal gambling, spearheaded by Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, led to the arrest of 233 suspects in the cities of Antalya and Mersin.
The suspects were charged with abetting criminal networks that processed a reported TL18bn (€340m) in illegal gambling transactions.
The battle has seen Turkey reset its financial system, on the direct orders of President Erdoğan who in February installed the Financial Intelligence Board of MASAK as gatekeeper of monitoring transactions.
Under its new authority, MASAK has assumed responsibility for intervening against e-money mules, false accounts and fraudulent business that have been embedded in Turkish finance to aid the transactions of illegal operators.
Though MASAK has vigorously improved detection, Yılmaz noted that the battle was far from over for authorities, as AKP believes that Turkey has between a $20bn to $60bn exposure to illegal gambling.
“In line with the commands of our President, we have prepared a comprehensive and multi-faceted action plan,” Yilmaz underscored, adding that illegal gambling must be eradicated on the pillars of enforcement, financial tracking and public awareness of illicit gambling as a crime.
Yet AKP’s next phase will move onto the next pillars of digital monitoring and international enforcement against those who purposely support illegal gambling activities.
Yılmaz reiterated that illegal gambling represents not only an “economic threat but a broader security and social concern”, linking illicit betting networks to “risks including money laundering, organised crime financing and unregulated access for vulnerable users”.
A central pillar of the action plan has focused on online and social media platforms. Turkish authorities are increasingly signaling that Google, Facebook and other tech firms must be scrutinised in preventing illegal operators from acquiring Turkish customers online.
Yilmaz noted that “there are no oversight or regulatory mechanisms. There are no age limits, income controls, or any protective framework” to stop Turkish consumers from engaging with illegal gambling content or promotions.
Further action, he added, is needed on affiliate marketing systems, influencer promotions, unauthorised advertising and social media acquisition funnels – all of which have been identified as critical enablers of offshore gambling networks that continue to target domestic consumers.
The government has also placed greater emphasis on cross-border enforcement, arguing that many illegal gambling operations are managed through foreign-linked structures operating beyond an internal jurisdiction.
Hardest frontier
The Action Plan is expected to enter its most aggressive phase through the roll out of cross-border enforcement measures that target overseas gambling networks that serve Turkish consumers.
President Erdoğan has previously singled out jurisdictions including Georgia, Armenia, North Cyprus and North Macedonia as operational hubs used by illegal betting structures knowingly targeting Turkey’s domestic market.
Yılmaz stressed that illegal gambling had evolved beyond a domestic regulatory issue into a broader security challenge. He warned: “These structures can be associated with many different risk areas such as money laundering, financing of terrorism and organised crime.”
The action plan is set to move beyond traditional enforcement tools such as IP blocking and denying internet access to unauthorised operators. Turkish authorities are increasingly signalling a tougher stance centred on criminal accountability for those enabling illegal gambling infrastructure regardless of borders or business.
As such, enforcement will encompass payment rails, digital distribution systems, affiliate networks and foreign-linked operational channels serving Turkish consumers.
Yılmaz acknowledged the challenge had become increasingly international in nature, stating that “the majority of illegal betting activities are conducted online and through structures with foreign connections”, adding that “some countries and regions can be used as centres in these processes.”
As a result, he emphasised that “international cooperation is one of the key points of the action plan”, with Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs – led by minister Hakan Fidan – will be tasked with intensifying engagement against foreign jurisdictions as a new layer of enforcement.
Turkish authorities have also emphasised that enforcement must remain adaptive, with Yılmaz noting: “When one platform is shut down, different structures can come into play.”
Moving the battle to the international front, a spillover of tensions could increasingly move beyond gaming enforcement alone, should Turkish authorities determine overseas jurisdictions are failing to cooperate with measures targeting illegal gambling activity directed at Turkish consumers.
With cross-border actions becoming a desired enforcement, AKP and the Turkish state appear to be willing to play their hardest gamble yet to deliver on Erdoğan’s presidential pledge to dismantle illegal gambling.
