Illegal betting operation in Ankara: 86 detained

Under the coordination of the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office/Cyber Crimes Investigation Bureau, a large-scale operation was carried out against suspects facilitating illegal betting and virtual gambling as part of an investigation conducted by the Ankara Police Department's Fraud Bureau teams. 86 suspects were detained in the operation.

In the MASAK analyses conducted as part of the investigation ongoing since 2024, a total of 5.3 billion TL in financial transactions was detected in bank accounts and crypto asset accounts belonging to individuals assessed to be operating within an organized structure. The examinations determined that numerous individuals transferred money to illegal betting and virtual gambling sites, and that the suspects provided bank accounts to be used on these sites and organized the money transfers through these accounts.

It was determined that the suspects attempted to make the tracking of financial movements difficult by transferring the money collected in the accounts to different bank accounts and crypto asset accounts. Furthermore, it was determined that they continued their activities by constantly changing the addresses of illegal betting sites that had been blocked. In the work carried out within the scope of the investigation, it was determined that there were money inflows and outflows through 414 thousand 621 separate accounts assessed to be linked to illegal betting and virtual gambling activities.

A simultaneous operation was conducted in Ankara. 86 individuals were apprehended in the operation. It was learned that when questioned about account movements exceeding 20 million TL, the suspects denied the illegal betting organization, stating, "I did not facilitate betting, I placed bets. I won this money by playing."

Following the completion of the necessary procedures, 44 suspects who were referred to judicial authorities were arrested.