Online illegal gambling networks use motorcycle couriers to move cash

ISTANBUL

Illegal online gambling networks in Türkiye continue to operate despite major police crackdowns by avoiding bank transfers and moving large sums of cash through motorcycle couriers, according to a businessman receiving treatment for gambling addiction.

An Istanbul-based businessman, identified only by the initials D.Y., said betting may take place on digital platforms, but the financial system behind it relies on a tightly organized network of intermediaries and hand-delivered cash to reduce the risk of detection.

High-value bank transfers are now seen as too risky, leading organizers to shift money circulation entirely offline through couriers, according to D.Y.

He explained that players do not deal directly with a single gambling website. Instead, access is managed by intermediaries who provide links, control accounts and take commissions from both losses and winnings.

To keep users in the system, intermediaries offer incentives, including discounts of 30 to 40 percent on losses, which encourages continued betting.

According to D.Y., intermediaries send users a link where they create a username and password, and all activity is carried out through that interface.