Turkey intensifies illegal gambling crackdown

The country is introducing a restriction on money transfers and ATMs withdrawing to tighten control over illegal gambling.

The Turkish Banking Supervision Body (BDDK) confirmed last week that the country is introducing restrictions on money transfers, as well as the withdraw of cash from ATMs, as part of illegal gambling crackdown, among other things.

The BDDK also revealed to local media that individuals’ accounts the withdraw the maximum allowable amount in ATMs will be under special supervision. The tightening of this control is part of the crackdown on illegal gambling. “In Turkey, about five million people are involved in illegal gambling, for participation in which money is withdrawn through ATMs,” said the BDDK.

Earlier this year, the government announce d a national plan to fight illegal gambling operations: the crackdown on illegal gambling businesses would be developed by the Interior and Justice Ministries in coordination with the Revenues Department and the Police Department. National regulators would investigate gaming platforms and venues to shut down unauthorised activities both in the land-based and iGaming sector.