Türkiye is grappling with a disturbing trend as the age of online gambling participants has dropped to as young as nine years old, according to data from Yesilay.

The rise in online gambling addiction, particularly among the youth, has caught the attention of the Turkish Parliament, with new measures being considered to curb illegal gambling and online betting activities.

Surge in online gambling addiction

Yesilay’s counseling centers have seen a significant increase in cases related to online gambling addiction.

“The number of applications seeking treatment for gambling addiction is rising, with the majority of them stemming from online gambling,” the organization reported.

The widespread promotion of illegal gambling platforms by internet influencers is believed to be driving the rise, particularly among younger demographics.

Despite efforts to combat these illegal activities, the existing measures are proving insufficient to address the growing problem.

Tougher penalties, legislative overhaul

In response to the escalating issue, authorities are drafting new legislation aimed at tightening regulations and closing loopholes. This includes making penalties for illegal gambling more severe and accelerating the shutdown of illegal betting websites.

Since 2006, when the regulation on online games of chance was enacted, nearly 400,000 illegal betting sites have been shut down. However, new sites emerge almost as quickly as they are closed.

Cryptocurrency payments under scrutiny

One of the challenges in curbing illegal gambling is the use of cryptocurrencies for transactions. The Ministry of Treasury and Finance, along with MASAK and other relevant bodies, are working on measures to prevent illegal betting payments made through cryptocurrencies, a tactic increasingly employed by those exploiting gaps in the current legal framework.

A nationwide challenge

Each month, around 20,000 illegal gambling sites are blocked, but their rapid reappearance has prompted officials to seek more effective and long-lasting solutions.

As a result, government ministries are now collaborating to ensure that the billions of liras of unfair profits generated through online gambling are brought under control.

What’s the difference between illegal and legal betting in Türkiye?

The illegal betting sector is one of the primary areas in Türkiye, with the highest demand for money laundering. Illegal betting is widespread due to Türkiye’s distinct regulations on betting compared to other countries.   

In Türkiye, the government authorizes a company to set the odds and place bets through a tender. In European countries, companies that want to place bets are given a betting license if they meet the conditions.  

A larger pool of companies increases the winning margin for players by offering more alternative bets due to competitive conditions.

Why is there so much demand for illegal betting?  

There is a difference of 1.5 to 2 times between the odds given on illegal betting sites and those placed with government permission. For example, a ₺100 bet on the winning rate of a team with a state-approved betting company can earn ₺120, while the same rate can be up to ₺140 on illegal betting sites.

In Türkiye, when a betting player wants to bet on a single match, they rarely have this opportunity. Many times, when a betting player wants to bet on the result of a single match, they are required to choose two or more matches instead.

In many European countries, people can bet on a wide range of alternatives, such as how many corners there will be in the match, which team will score more corners, which team will shoot more, how many yellow cards will be shown in the match, and so on. In Türkiye, the bookmaker does not allow many of these alternative selections to be played.  

These are some of the factors why people prefer illegal betting.