Turkey Blocks 30 Social Media Accounts Over Illegal Gambling Ads

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Turkey’s Advertising Board has banned access to 30 social media accounts for allegedly promoting illegal betting and gambling.

The board said its review found that some YouTube and other social media accounts carried content encouraging users to participate in live betting and promoting gambling.

It ruled that the advertisements violated Turkey’s Regulation on Commercial Advertising and Unfair Commercial Practices as well as the Consumer Protection Law.

If the content is not removed, the accounts in question will be permanently shut down, the board said.

Gambling is tightly restricted in Turkey. Casinos were banned in 1998 and non-state online gambling was outlawed in 2006. However, the state-run lottery, Milli Piyango, and some licensed betting services remain legal, including a limited number of online platforms. Despite these restrictions, illegal online gambling, especially related to professional football, remains widespread.

In recent years, the Turkish authorities have carried out crackdowns on illegal gambling websites, social media promotions and payment networks, arguing that such activities fuel addiction and drain billions of lira from the economy. The government has also tightened internet controls, requiring platforms to remove banned content quickly or risk heavy fines and bandwidth throttling.

Critics say the restrictions form part of Turkey’s broader efforts to assert control over digital platforms and limit online content deemed harmful or politically sensitive. Major social media companies have faced pressure to comply with Turkish regulations, including demands to establish local offices and respond to takedown requests.

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