Turkish celebrities among detainees in illegal betting op

ISTANBUL

Police on Nov. 11 detained 16 individuals, including famous Turkish singer Serdar Ortaç and TV host Mehmet Ali Erbil, as part of a newly launched investigation into illegal betting activities.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office initiated an inquiry targeting at least 20 people, accusing them of "promoting illegal betting" by endorsing websites linked to betting and gambling.

Among those implicated are former footballer Batuhan Karadeniz and social media influencer İbrahim Yılmaz, who reportedly claimed to have "quit his job" thanks to betting revenue, boasting over 20 million followers.

Other figures under scrutiny include two more influencers, Muzaffer Zorbey Erkoçlar and Sefa Caner Sarıçam, as well as Aleksander Mensikof, a dual citizen of Türkiye and Russia.

On Nov. 11, Istanbul police apprehended Ortaç and Erbil, while reports indicated that five suspects are abroad and efforts to locate two others continue.

Local outlets report that former footballer Karadeniz, once associated with Beşiktaş, is believed to be in Georgia.

After completing procedural steps at the police station, the 16 detainees were brought to court following a medical evaluation.

Responding to questions from the press, Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç refrained from commenting on the move, stressing that the detentions were the result of a judicial investigation.

The operation came after Turkish authorities have started to take measures as illegal betting and gambling have increasingly emerged as new revenue streams for organized crime syndicates.

Local media earlier reported that approximately 10 million people in Türkiye have succumbed to these entrapments, resulting in millions of Turkish Liras lost to the economy.

Even the most recognized e-commerce websites in Türkiye are directing traffic to these illicit betting platforms.

Recently, The Turkish Football Federation introduced new regulations to crack down on illegal betting advertisements in professional football. According to the TFF, clubs found violating the new rules will face fines and, in case of repeated offenses, the deduction of points.