Authorities close 233,000 illegal betting websites in 2024

ANKARA

The Treasury and Finance Ministry's National Lottery Administration shut down 233,000 illegal betting and gambling websites in 2024 as part of an ongoing crackdown, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Jan. 26.

This figure marks a significant increase from the 168,000 sites blocked the previous year.

A majority — 56 percent — of the 233,000 websites targeted in 2024 were found to originate from the United States. Armenia and the Netherlands were also prominent sources, accounting for 17 percent and 6 percent, respectively.

These sites, spread across 95 countries, were deemed a threat to the legal gambling ecosystem in Türkiye, the report said.

The agency works closely with the Information Technologies and Communication Authority (BTK) to block access to these platforms.

Its crackdown also extended to unauthorized physical and virtual lotteries. The administration took administrative and judicial measures against 286 illegal operations to this end last year.

Criminal complaints were filed with the chief public prosecutor’s office, and legal actions were initiated against individuals and businesses involved in these activities.