President Erdogan signed an action plan to combat illegal betting and online gambling. The program runs from 2025-2026 and includes strict control measures led by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK).

Key Measures:

• MASAK will begin shutting down the financial channels of underground gambling - from banks and fintech to cryptocurrencies
• The Information and Communication Technology Authority (BTK) will handle blocking access to gambling sites and apps
• Ministry of Treasury and Finance to strengthen anti-money laundering measures
• Department of Justice to be given authority to prioritize criminal cases of illegal gambling
• The Communications Directorate will handle the removal of gambling advertisements, including influencer content.

Special attention is paid to foreign jurisdictions - Malta, Cyprus, Montenegro and Georgia, where offshore operators continue to accept players from Turkey. Ankara is ready to apply diplomatic measures and sanctions against such countries.

Erdogan called the fight against illegal gambling «a matter of national security» and promised to eliminate the shadow market by the 2027 elections. The reason for increased control was the high-profile scandal with fintech company Papara, through which ₺12.9 billion (about $372 million) of illegal transactions passed, according to investigators.