Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issues statement on betting scandal involving referees!

Turkish Football Federation (TFF) President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu stated that referees officiating in professional leagues have been involved in a betting scandal. At a press conference held in Riva, Hacıosmanoğlu announced that 371 out of 571 referees have betting accounts and that 152 of them have been actively placing bets. He stated that these individuals will be referred to the Disciplinary Board and that the necessary penalties will be applied.

Following these developments, a statement was issued by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced that the investigation initiated in April has been merged with the file in Antalya and that Hacıosmanoğlu's statements are being treated as a formal notification.

The statement from the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office noted that a determined fight is being waged against illegal betting games and that investigations in this scope are continuing without interruption.

The full statement is as follows:

'A continuous and determined fight is being carried out by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding illegal betting games, which have become an economic and sociological wound in our society, and investigations into this matter are continuing without interruption. Following the press statement made on 27/10/2025 by TFF (Turkish Football Federation) President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu, in which he stated that "371 referees have betting accounts and 152 have been identified as actively placing bets," it has become necessary to make a statement as the matter relates to a judicial investigation process. An investigation was initiated by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in April 2025 regarding allegations of betting involving certain referees officiating in football matches. While this investigation was ongoing, following reports that an investigation process had also been initiated against the Central Referee Committee (MHK) upon the application of other referees to the Antalya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, this new investigation file in Antalya was sent to the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office due to a lack of jurisdiction, given the existing ongoing investigation; both investigation files have been merged, and research is continuing through a single file.

The statement made by TFF (Turkish Football Federation) President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu on 27/10/2025 regarding "referees with betting accounts" is also accepted as a formal notification regarding the ongoing investigation file; the existing investigation will be further deepened and continued regarding the identification of these referees and potential charges against them, including violation of Law No. 6222 on the Prevention of Violence and Disorder in Sports, violation of the Sports Clubs and Sports Federations Law No. 7405, violation of the Law No. 7258 on the Regulation of Betting and Games of Chance in Football and Other Sports Competitions, and other criminal allegations to be determined.'

News Source: 12punto