Authorities have detained 19 football club executives as part of a widening investigation into alleged illegal betting and match-fixing, officials said on July 17.
Coordinated by the chief prosecutor’s office in Istanbul, the operation involved simultaneous raids across Istanbul.
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said investigators analyzed betting platform data covering the period from 2020 to 2026 alongside financial intelligence reports prepared by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK).
The combined analysis uncovered what Gürlek described as “significant findings” regarding the betting activities of some club executives.
“We will resolutely pursue all dubious structures, relationships and actions that undermine the spirit of sport and cast a shadow on the credibility of football,” Gürlek said in a statement on social media.
Among those detained were executives from Süper Lig clubs Beşiktaş, Galatasaray and Gençlerbirliği, as well as officials from several lower-division clubs, including Adana Demirspor, Adanaspor, Altay, Altınordu, Bandırmaspor, Bodrumspor, Boluspor, Erzurumspor and Karaman FK.
Prosecutors alleged that the suspects placed varying numbers of bets through illegal platforms, with authorities citing records ranging from seven betting slips to nearly 1,500 in individual cases.
The latest operation marks another phase in a long-running crackdown on illegal betting in Turkish football.
The investigation began last year and expanded after Turkish Football Federation head İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu announced in October that 152 referees had been found to have placed bets. Istanbul prosecutors subsequently broadened the probe, which later extended to football players.
As the investigation progressed, prosecutors sought the arrest of some players, while the TFF’s disciplinary board imposed suspensions on more than 1,000 footballers.
“Judicial processes are being meticulously carried out to establish clean football, protect the reliability of sports and shed light on incidents that wound the conscience of our nation,” Gürlek said.
The latest round of operations resumed after the conclusion of the domestic football season. Istanbul Deputy Chief Prosecutor Osman Sağlam said in April that investigators had temporarily paused enforcement actions until league competitions ended.
