Turkish authorities have reported a critical juncture in the fight against illegal gambling, fuelled by direct actions on Turkey’s financial system and bank licences.
On Monday, Mehmet Şimşek, Minister of the Treasury and Finance, declared that proxy bank accounts that are facilitating transactions to illegal betting and gaming sites could soon be eradicated.
Providing an update on investigations and enforcement carried out by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), Şimşek confirmed that in 2025, the financial intelligence unit halted the circulation of TL5bn (€100m) in illicit proceeds within Turkey’s financial system.
Şimşek stated: “Illegal betting organisers have recently started using bank, payment, electronic money and cryptocurrency accounts belonging to third parties.
“I would like to strongly remind our citizens that renting or allowing others to use their accounts under pretexts such as ‘escrow’, ‘temporary use’, or ‘for commission’ constitutes participation in illegal betting and money laundering crimes.”
Targeting infrastructure & barrons
MASAK has concentrated its investigations on identifying the accounts of individuals that are connected to organised criminal networks which have been attempting to launder funds through proxy accounts. Efforts were further focused on disrupting the financial infrastructure that is beingused to move illicit gambling revenues, including payment institutions, e-money platforms and crypto wallets.
Şimşek added that organisers had gone beyond personal accounts, establishing corporate entities to hide or obscure illicit transfers from monitoring systems. The illegal manoeuvres were said to be enabled by implicated individuals that Şimşek branded as ‘e-money barrons’.
“It has been determined that illegal betting organisers have established limited companies by obtaining powers of attorney from certain individuals and collected illegal betting revenues through accounts opened in the name of these companies,” he explained.
“Citizens must not allow companies established in their names to be used by individuals they do not actually know.”
MASAK takes full control
In 2025, the authorities carried out enforcement actions prior to MASAK being granted its extended supervisory powers by the Ministry of Treasury and Finance, as of 1 February.
Under the new directive, MASAK has been authorised to verify financial transactions across high-risk sectors, including gambling, insurance, fintech and e-commerce services. The reform effectively strengthens the Intelligence Board’s oversight mandate, positioning it as a central compliance gatekeeper within Turkey’s financial architecture.
For gambling specifically, MASAK has been granted gate-keeping powers to ensure that transactions are authorised solely for state-sanctioned operators. These include sports betting monopoly İddaa, lottery operator Milli Piyango and horse racing authority Türkiye Jokey Kulübü.
As of February, MASAK has instructed Turkish banks and payment institutions to apply stricter transaction monitoring protocols to prevent funds from being diverted to unauthorised gambling platforms.
Full state behind MASAK
The enforcement in 2026 will extend beyond individuals. MASAK’s analysis has identified payment and electronic money institutions that are deemed to be systematically facilitating the circulation of illegal betting revenues.
In coordination with the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey, the operations of six organisations were suspended and assets seized by judicial order. A cryptocurrency service provider and an associated platform believed to have been used to obtain and launder illegal gambling proceeds were also seized.
More than 500 reports and intelligence notes have been submitted to law enforcement and judicial authorities, materially supporting investigations and prosecutions against organised gambling networks.
Framing the campaign as part of a broader effort to protect Turkey’s financial integrity, Şimşek signalled that enforcement would intensify.
“MASAK will resolutely continue to take all necessary measures — including suspension of operations, licence cancellation and seizure of assets — against financial institutions when required in the fight against illegal betting and gambling,” he said.
The move signals AKP government’s intent to centralise oversight of gambling-related financial flows, shifting the enforcement towards proactive measures viewed as a necessary structural change to materially alter the compliance obligations of Turkish banks, e-payments and Fintech.
At the start of 2026, Turkish banks were ordered to notify all account holders that facilitating payments for illegal gambling constitutes a criminal offence. The alert was ordered by the AKP Government’s Action Plan against illicit gambling.
Customers were informed of changes to Turkey’s Penal Code sanctioned by Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç to impose tougher prison sentences and heightened financial penalties for both individuals who facilitate illegal gambling transactions.
