Online bingo is prohibited in Turkey under Article 228/3 of the Turkish Criminal Code, which forbids providing venues and opportunities for gambling through information systems (1). The Regulation on Online Games of Fortune expressly bans online operation of games of fortune, with the Turkish National Lottery Administration reporting any online gambling websites to the Information and Communication Technologies Authority for blocking (1). Only state-owned sports betting company IDDAA is legally authorized to offer Turkish citizens access to online gambling, while casinos and most forms of online gambling remain banned since 1998 and 2006 respectively (2). Private operators cannot obtain licenses for online bingo or gambling services targeting Turkish citizens (1).
The Turkish government cracked down on over 230,000 illegal gambling websites in 2024 as part of enforcement efforts to eliminate the black market, according to Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek (2). Around 233,000 gambling sites were detected by the General Directorate of the National Lottery Administration and reported to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's office and National Cyber Crimes Department for criminal investigations (2). This represented a significant increase compared to 168,000 illegal sites detected in 2023, with 56% of illicit sites located in the United States, 17% of Armenian origin, and 6% of Dutch origin (2).
"We are determined to prevent unregistered economic activities and financial crimes that cause tax loss and victimization of our citizens."
Legal gambling in Turkey is limited to state-controlled operations including the Turkish National Lottery Administration for games of luck, Turkish Spor Toto Organisation for sports betting, and the Jockey Club of Turkey for horse race betting (1). Those organizing lotteries or raffles without National Lottery Administration permission face imprisonment of up to six years and judicial fines (2). The Regulation on Commercial Advertisements prohibits advertising for illegal betting and gambling activities (1). Turkey maintains strict enforcement through website blocking, financial transaction restrictions, and criminal penalties to protect citizens from illegal gambling operations (2).
Source:
https://cms.law/en/int/expert-guides/cms-expert-guide-to-gambling-laws-in-cee/turkey
https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2025/01/29/93304-turkey-cracked-down-on-over-230-000-illegal-gambling-websites-in-2024
Last updated: 29-10-2025 Disclaimer: This article does not provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.
