TURKEY
Turkey is one of the largest, most controversial and tightly controlled Tier 2 gambling markets in the world. Officially, only state sports betting is allowed in the country, while online casinos, slot machines and private betting platforms are directly banned.
At the same time, Turkey remains one of the largest real markets for online gambling due to the massive use of foreign platforms. The huge population, high digitalization and the cult of sports make the Turkish market extremely attractive for international operators.
Online casinos in Turkey
Commercial online casinos are officially banned domestically. All licensed foreign casinos operate for Turkish players in an offshore format.
Total ban on national online casinos.
Mass use of foreign platforms.
Active domain locks.
Tight control of Internet traffic.
High level of real demand.
Despite the bans, Turkey is consistently among the top countries in terms of traffic in online casinos.
Land-based casinos and gaming halls
Land-based casinos in Turkey have been officially banned since the 1990s. Domestically, there is virtually no legal offline gambling.
Complete ban on casinos and machines.
Lack of licensed gaming halls.
Strict criminal liability.
Policing and financial authorities.
Turkey is an offline "caseless" country.
Turkish players use foreign land casinos when traveling abroad.
Sports betting and betting
Sports betting in Turkey is allowed exclusively through the state monopoly.
Most popular destinations:- Football (overall leader).
- Basketball.
- Volleyball.
- Tennis.
- International tournaments.
The state tote occupies an official niche, but a significant part of the traffic goes offshore.
Regulation and licences
Gambling regulation in Turkey is one of the toughest in the world.
Complete ban on private gambling.
State monopoly on betting.
Active site locks.
Monitoring bank transactions.
Criminal liability for operating activities.
There is no national license for private operators.
Payment methods
Turkish players use a hybrid payment model.
Bank cards.
Local payment gateways.
E-wallets.
P2P translations.
Active use of cryptocurrencies.
Crypto payments play a key role in circumventing restrictions.
Popular games and formats
Turkish audience preferences are centered around:- Video slots.
- Live-casinos.
- Crash games.
- Football betting.
- Fast arcade formats.
Crash games and live betting are the absolute leaders in activity.
Mobile gambling
Turkey is an almost entirely mobile gambling market.
Smartphone dominance.
High speed of mobile Internet.
Games through a browser without installation.
Instant deposits from a smartphone.
Active growth of youth audience.
Mobile traffic forms the vast majority of all gaming activity.
Advertising and responsible play
Any advertising of gambling in Turkey is officially prohibited.
Complete ban on casino advertising and betting.
Blocking partner networks.
Control of social networks and influencers.
Crackdown on illegal marketing.
Government prevention programs.
The gaming industry is developing in a complete advertising vacuum.
Why Turkey is a Tier 2 market
The Turkish market is characterized by:- huge population;
- fanatical attitude towards football;
- complete legal closure;
- massive use of offshore platforms;
- high actual turnover of the shadow market.
Turkey is one of the most closed, but at the same time the most powerful Tier 2 gambling markets in terms of real traffic and player volume. Only state sports betting is officially allowed here, while online casinos, slots and live games operate through foreign platforms. For operators, this is a market of high risks and huge turnover, for players - a constant search for stable, safe and affordable gaming solutions.
