At least 319 people have been arrested in Turkey during a major crackdown on illegal gambling in 54 of the country’s 81 provinces, amid growing social concern about the rise of gambling addiction, which now exceeds that caused by drugs.
According to Turkish media reports, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced the launch of the operation, which was carried out by Turkish Gendarmerie officers in coordination with the public prosecutor’s office and the General Security Agency’s Cybercrime Department. The operation took place in 54 provinces including major cities such as Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Konya, Trabzon, Gaziantep and Samsun.
Yerlikaya explained that during the operation security forces seized 5 unlicensed firearms, as well as a large amount of money in foreign currencies and cryptocurrencies, and also numerous digital devices.
Turkish authorities have stepped up their fight against illegal gambling in the country in recent months, which last November led to the arrest in another major operation of a well-known TV presenter and the famous singer Serdar Ortaç, as well as several prominent social media influencers.
Gambling addiction already surpasses drug addiction in requests for help and assistance to addiction-fighting organisations such as Yeşilay, rising from making up 24% of requests in 2020 to 36% in 2024, especially among Turks aged 15 and over.
As a history lover, Pablo Gómez was captivated by Turkey from the first day he visited it in 2006: he got married there, has a house there… and has since become an expert on Turkey’s current affairs. With a long experience in media, he has been at the helm of hispanatolia.com since 2011.
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