Turkish authorities have launched a crackdown on individuals who appeared in photos or videos featuring logos of iGaming products. Mass raids have led to the detention of several public figures, including DJ and blogger Kerimcan Durmaz and actor Atakan Yılmaz. They are accused of “promoting illegal gambling” after allegedly being present at events displaying advertising banners for casinos and betting services that are banned in Turkey. A quite different tendency compared to Thailand’s.
According to a spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office, Kerimcan Durmaz was stopped directly at Istanbul Airport upon his return from Malta, where he had performed a DJ set.
In a video from the club that surfaced on social media, the logos of betting companies illegal in Turkey can be clearly seen on the LED screens behind the DJ.
However, investigators believe that the well-known blogger “could not have failed to notice” the ads displayed behind him and that he “knowingly agreed to cooperate.”
This is quite different from what we see in Brazil where authorities approved the regulation of iGaming.
Shortly afterward, actor Atakan Yılmaz was detained on suspicion of having been photographed on stage next to an advertising banner for an iGaming product during a performance in Istanbul. Yılmaz himself stated that he was “simply invited as a guest” and that he “has no connection whatsoever to the betting business.”
Despite this, law enforcement considers any excuses to be “fabricated” and has already petitioned for the detention of both individuals.
As part of the same operation, Sadettin Saran, a businessman and member of the High Council of Fenerbahçe FC, also came under scrutiny. By order of the 8th Istanbul Criminal Court of Peace, he has been temporarily banned from leaving the country. Investigators suspect that his media holding company broadcast advertisements for underground betting operators during live coverage of international football matches.
The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) has already announced a temporary suspension of broadcasts of Spain’s La Liga and Italy’s Serie A on channels affiliated with the holding.
Currently, Kerimcan Durmaz and Atakan Yılmaz remain in pre-trial detention, awaiting the court’s decision on the measures of restraint. Their defense teams have expressed their intention to challenge the charges, while fans are calling for objectivity and a fair trial.
Experts believe that authorities may tighten control over all advertising integrations at events and online. Many artists have already announced plans to include strict clauses in their contracts, prohibiting logos of betting companies and gambling platforms on stage. The first court hearing in the case of “promoting illegal betting” could take place by the end of the week, shedding light on whether Turkey is prepared to further tighten its policies on gambling activities.
This reminds us of Nigerian laws getting stricter towards iGaming, which we have covered here.
