Turkey’s AKP government has committed to fully eliminating illegal gambling in the country, with newly appointed Justice Minister Akın Gürlek warning that every department is...
Turkey’s MASAK tasked with fighting money laundering
From February 1, 2026, Turkey’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board, MASAK, will assume responsibility for preventing money laundering and terrorist financing by supervising identity-verification processes for online transactions.
This reform is part of the government’s broader strategy against illegal gambling. With elections approaching in Turkey, President Erdoğan urged state institutions to improve enforcement against unlicensed betting networks.
MASAK will be granted authority over digital-facing sectors like gambling and betting activities, e-commerce services, fintech and payment providers, as well as insurance and pension operators.
Regarding betting and gambling transactions, banks will be required to ensure that payments come from a bank account that matches the user’s identity information. Additionally, customer onboarding or financial transactions will be prohibited until verification is completed according to the new standards.
The framework is designed to prevent criminal groups from accessing Turkish payment systems and to uncover mules and falsified accounts within the Turkish economy.
MASAK will also be leading the government’s wider “Action Plan” to eliminate illicit gambling.
President Erdoğan warned that MASAK’s efforts will not be limited to Turkish borders, as the group has been instructed to take down operators that target Turkish citizens from Cyprus, Georgia, North Macedonia, Armenia, and other countries.
Turkey’s crackdown on gambling has intensified after President Erdoğan described online betting as potentially more dangerous than terrorism.Speaking at a public event...
