Gambling addiction in Türkiye has escalated at an alarming pace, with the number of people seeking professional help increasing 155-fold in just six years, turning the issue into a rapidly deepening social crisis.
Data released by the Green Crescent Counseling Center (YEDAM), which provides counseling and psychotherapy for various addictions, shows that applications related to gambling rose from just 37 in 2019 to 5,748 in 2025.
The figures indicate that early exposure remains a key risk factor. According to YEDAM, 34.3 percent of applicants said they encountered gambling before the age of 18, while 42.8 percent began between the ages of 18 and 25. Only 22.7 percent reported starting after 25, meaning nearly one in three individuals struggling with gambling addiction faced the risk during childhood.
Age distribution data revealed that the problem is concentrated among working-age adults. Almost 80 percent of those seeking counseling are between 20 and 40 years old, with 36.7 percent aged 20-30 and 43.4 percent aged 30-40.
The proportion drops to 15.4 percent in the 40-50 age group and declines sharply thereafter.
The data also dispel the notion that gambling addiction is limited to lower education levels. Among those seeking support, 13 percent hold postgraduate degrees, 11.3 percent are university graduates and 11.5 percent have associate degrees.
Green Crescent Chairman Mehmet Dinç said that eight out of ten clients who regularly attend psychotherapy successfully distance themselves from gambling.
