The Government of Turkey is considering to introduce a specific range of measures that would help it put an end to illegal gambling activities across the country. What is the Government planning, is a nationwide campaign against illegal gambling, with the competent authorities offering a two-year plan that involves a number of measures and regulations that would allow competent authorities to get better control on land-based gaming hubs and gambling websites.
The national plan to fight illegal gambling operations will be implemented by the Interior and Justice Ministries in partnership with the local Police Department and the Revenues Department. Apart from implementing an awareness campaign which would be focused on children and teenagers in order for the plan to outline the negative effects of gambling, the local authorities are also focused to prevent such illegal activities. In addition, the nationwide plan for fighting illegal gambling operations across the country includes a number of conditions for the punishments that would be imposed on illegal operators.
As mentioned above, the main departments that would be engaged with Turkey’s crackdown on illegal gambling activities are the Interior and Justice Ministries working along with the Revenues Department and the Police Department. Gaming platforms and brick-and-mortar gambling operators would be investigated by National regulatory authorities in case there are any signs of unauthorised activities. These measures would regard both the retail and the iGaming sectors.
The first step of the Turkish Government crackdown on the local gambling industry would involve the establishment of a special team of agencies that would take care of the review and monitoring of retail and online gambling operators. The team would include members for a number of relevant local agencies, including the Revenues Department and Information and Communication Technologies Authority, the Financial Crimes Investigation Council as well as the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency.
The above-mentioned agencies would carry out certain reviews and would monitor the operations of gambling companies and organizations. In case that the latter are found to have drawn profit from unauthorised gambling activities, they will lose their income. On the other hand, brick-and-mortar gambling hubs which host illegal gambling activities are to be temporarily closed by the Turkish Government.
Monetary fines are also being considered as part of the measures that the local authorities are to take in order to fight illegal gambling in the country. Such fines are planned to be imposed on all shops that provide customers with the chance to access unauthorised gambling websites. Also, the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency would take care of the implementation of some measures against the usage of credit cards and banking transactions when illegal gambling is involved. Other similar money transaction methods would also be sanctioned by the afore-mentioned agency.
There would also be some restriction measures in terms of illegal gambling advertising, with all advertisements that encourage local customers to place their bets on gambling activities set to be banned.
- Author
Daniel Williams
