Gambling Laws in Turkey

Due to the country's predominantly Islamic population Turkey's gambling laws are very strict, with most activites deemed illegal. That said, there are a few exceptions to most of the blanket bans.

Which Gambling Activities Are Legal in Turkey?

Article 228 of the Criminal Code and the Law Regarding Roulette, Pinball and Gaming Machines are the governing gambling laws in Turkey. They collectively state that all types of land-based gaming are Illegal. In contrast, the 2006 Regulation on Online Gaming means most forms of this are also illegal.

Wagering on Offline and Online Casino Games

A widespread ban was implemented in 1998 on land-based gaming and as such there are no casinos, slots halls or any other venues in operation. Casino gambling paraphernalia such as roulette wheels, tables and pinball machines are also banned.

Before 1998 the casino gaming industry was thriving and served as a source of employment for 20,000+ residents. Once the ban took effect, some activities continued illicitly, but raids in 2016 ended this. Some operators moved their businesses to the Turkish part of Cyprus, which has more lenient laws on gambling.

Online casino gambling has been illegal since 2007. When the ban on land-based casinos was enacted, some organisations moved their operations online as the country didn't yet regulate these activities. However, the government quickly caught up in outlawing online gambling sites, with a few minor exceptions. 

Residents looking to gamble online are largely out of luck due to the strict laws, which include fines for players of up to €250,000. Turkey's internet providers banned most of the larger offshore online casinos, and banks are instructed to block transactions to such sites.

Real Money Poker

Land-based poker is illegal and has been since 1998. No clubs have been operating since the ban closed all poker venues. Similarly, online poker has been prohibited since the law was amended in 2007. Turkish ISPs block most sites and residents can be prosecuted for playing at them.

Playing Bingo With Cash

Turkey has a zero-tolerance policy on bingo games, making the activity illegal. Even those being run for charitable purposes are not permitted and this applies to both offline and online bingo gambling.

Purchasing Lottery Tickets

Lottery gambling is legal with the state-owned regulator Turkey Wealth Fund maintaining ownership of the national lottery (Milli Piyango) via monopoly company ERG Ahlatci. The lottery was bought in a privatisation process, but the successful company still falls under state control. Residents can bet on various draws and purchase instant games via the many outlets nationwide. Playing online lottery games for real money is allowed but only via the Milli Piyango website.

Social Gambling and Online Crypto Casinos

There is no mention of lootboxes or skins gambling in Turkey's existing gambling laws, so they remain in a grey area for residents. However, social casinos which allow members to play free online slots using chips and coins could be classed as illegal. Even though money isn't being exchanged, these games are still 'games of chance' and fall under the current calissifcation of gambling.

Although cryptocurrencies are permitted in Turkey, the banking industry does not support their use as legal tender. A such the national lottery operator does not accept cyrptos for payment for tickets. Residents wishing to use virtual coins online can do so at many of the offshore crypto casinos which accept players from Turkey. Whilst this is illegal, it still happens.

Is It Legal To Place Sports Bets in Turkey?

Yes, this has been legal since 1983 when state-run horse racing betting was legalised. Such activities are only permitted via monopoly companies IDDAA (Turkish Sports Toto) and the Türkiye Jokey Kulübü (Turkey Jockey Club). Both companies have an online presence and are the only operators permitted to offer online sports betting.

What's the Minimum Age to Gamble in Turkey?

Residents must be at least 18 to participate in any of the country's legal gambling activities.

Turkish Gambling Tax Regulations - Do Players Pay?

Tax regulations consist of 3 rates based on the type of gambling activity offered. The sports betting operator pays 5% of gross revenue, the horse racing operator is charged 7%, and legal games of chance offered by the lottery company attract a 10% tax. This is on top of 25% corporation tax and VAT of 18%.

For players, winnings from domestic offline and online lottery games are tax-free. Income tax of 15% to 35% is charged on all other winnings.

History of Gambling Laws in Turkey

The first form of gambling to be legalised was horse race betting in 1983, although there are claims some casinos operated as far back as the 1960s.

Casinos were officially legalised in 1990, and numerous venues were constructed in the following years. However, due to rampant money laundering and other criminal activities, including the assassination of the so-called casino king Ömer Lütfü Topal, these were banned in 1996. It took until 1998 for all casino operations to be shut down in the country.

From 2000 many land-based operators affected by the ban moved online because of the lack of regulation regarding online gambling. This was remedied in 2007 with the enactment of the 2006 Regulation on Online Gaming, which made online gambling illegal.

In 2013 unlicensed operators faced even stricter regulations, with the government requiring internet service providers to block these and financial institutions to block transactions.

Key Facts

• Both land-based and online casino gambling are illegal in Turkey.

• Land-based and online poker are illegal.

• Offline and online bingo are both illegal.

• Lottery gambling is legal in Turkey, but only via monopoly company ERG Ahlatci.

• Sports betting is legal but only via monopoly companies IDDAA and Türkiye Jokey Kulübü for horse race betting.