Turkey’s opposition pushes for overhaul of gambling legislation

The CHP has called for a single Gambling Law, a new supervisory authority and stronger financial controls.

Turkey.- The Republican People’s Party (CHP) has launched a renewed push to reform Turkish gambling legislation, presenting a plan that would restructure regulation, strengthen financial oversight and redefine the state’s role in the sector. The proposal positions gambling policy as a central political issue, as the opposition seeks to hold President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) accountable for what it describes as long-standing regulatory shortcomings.

Speaking in Parliament, CHP Deputy Murat Emir and party council member Ozan Bingöl outlined a plan that would replace Turkey’s fragmented gambling framework with a single Gambling Law. The proposal calls for the creation of a dedicated Gambling Regulation and Supervision Authority to centralise oversight currently spread across multiple institutions.

According to Emir, the CHP’s initiative is designed to address systemic weaknesses. “Our aim is to cure a profound crisis that has begun under the AKP’s watch,” he told lawmakers, arguing that the existing model has failed to keep pace with technological change and market realities.

Emir warned that widespread access to gambling products via mobile devices has blurred the line between regulated offerings and unlicensed markets. “What the government calls legal gambling is actually the gateway to illegal betting,” he said. “They learn there, they start there, and then they are pushed into criminal platforms.”

The CHP has also questioned the role of state-owned operators IDDAA and Milli Piyango, arguing that their prominence has contributed to the normalisation of gambling behaviour while failing to stem illegal activity. Emir accused the state of maintaining a contradictory position by permitting, taxing and profiting from gambling while simultaneously pledging to combat unlicensed operators. “Everyone knows the legal system is what fuels the illegal one,” he said.

Beyond regulatory reform, the opposition is calling for a strengthening of the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), which it views as critical to disrupting the financial infrastructure behind illegal gambling. Emir stressed that enforcement focused solely on website blocks or arrests would be insufficient without targeting money laundering and account-rental schemes.

See also:

See also: Gambling addiction cases in Turkey soar 155-fold over six years, YEDAM data

The CHP has called for a single Gambling Law, a new supervisory authority and stronger financial controls. Turkey.- The Republican People’s Party (CHP) has launched a renewed push to reform Turkish gambling legislation, presenting a plan that would restructure regulation, strengthen financial oversight and redefine the state’s role in the sector. The proposal positions gambling…