Turkey’s national lottery office, the Milli Piyango İdaresi (MPİ), has shown its support for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s fight against illegal gambling amidst ongoing betting scandals in the country.
MPİ Issues an Official Statement Supporting the President’s Efforts
Earlier this week, MPI Chairman and General Manager Ekrem Candan submitted a dossier containing 420,000 criminal complaints against websites promoting illegal gambling. In a press statement, Candan expressed support for MPI’s role in the initiative, noting that the organization had provided years of evidence to MASAK, Turkey’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board. The organization is leading the government’s coordinated crackdown on illegal gambling.
Candan also met with senior MASAK officials, presenting data identifying 239,000 domains in direct violation of Turkish gambling laws. Candan told reporters that Turkey is facing a borderless threat targeting its youth, economy, and society. He emphasized that the issue is a national security matter beyond just gambling.
MPI’s statement comes as Turkey is dealing with national betting scandals. Recently, it was revealed that hundreds of Turkish soccer officials had placed unauthorized bets.
MASAK Doubles Down on Illegal Gambling
The development follows the release of President Erdoğan’s 2025–2026 Action Plan for Combating Illegal Betting, Games of Chance, and Virtual Gambling, enacted at the beginning of November. The plan places the entire government under Erdoğan’s direct oversight, with MASAK serving as the central coordinating body among various ministries.
According to reports, MASAK has been monitoring illicit financial flows exceeding TRY 5.8 billion ($13.2 million) since early 2024, while enhancing its anti-money laundering efforts and payment monitoring systems. Since May, Turkish authorities have reportedly blocked more than 10,500 international gaming servers and 1,473 advertising websites.
In its statement on the Action Plan, MASAK noted that tools such as social media, payment systems, and crypto assets have facilitated easier access to illegal gambling activities, giving the issue a cross-border dimension. The agency emphasized the need for continuous improvements in detection, intervention, and monitoring capabilities, as well as adopting innovative countermeasures.
The unit has also uncovered offshore hosting networks based in Malta, North Macedonia, and Georgia. This has led Ankara to warn that “aggressive measures” will be taken against any jurisdictions or entities supporting Turkish-facing black-market gambling operations.
MASAK further stated that, although efforts to combat illegal gambling are already multifaceted, the increasing technological and financial sophistication of these operations makes it essential to reinforce the legal and administrative framework against illicit websites.
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- Source: SCCGManagement.com
