Influencer arrested for illegal gambling advertising in Turkey

A few days ago, the General Prosecutor’s Office in Istanbul announced that investigations had been launched against 20 people for illegal gambling advertising. The majority of the suspects are said to have advertised gambling offers on social networks. This is said to have promoted illegal gambling in the country. At the end of October, we reported that influencer and world-class footballer Alisha Lehmann was advertising an illegal online casinos for turkish players.

Turkey: Celebrities also among those arrested

Several celebrities are said to be among the suspects arrested by the Turkish police. Specifically, they are said to be the former footballer Batuhan Karadeniz. The 33-year-old Turkish footballer played for FC St. Gallen and the Turkish first division club Sakaryaspor during his career. He is also accused of illegal gambling advertising. However, the Turkish police have not yet been able to question Karadeniz about the allegations because he is currently said to be in Georgia.

In addition to Karadeniz, the former professional footballer Ibrahim Yilmaz is also said to be among the suspects in the case. The 30-year-old midfielder was under contract with the clubs Istanbulspor and Erzincanpor, among others. He has since given up his sporting career and only works as an influencer. In June of this year, Casinova covered the fact that influencers in France are no longer allowed to advertise sports betting.

Illegal gambling providers are increasingly relying on influencers

Not only in Turkey, but also in many other countries, the operators of illegal gambling sites are increasingly relying on the reach of well-known influencers. The illegal online casinos and betting providers are advertised by the influencers for a fee. In Turkey, however, this form of gambling advertising is prohibited and is punished with severe penalties.

In general, gambling is strictly regulated in Turkey. As early as 2006, the decision was made to ban the entire online gambling sector with the exception of state-run offers. In Great Britain, gambling advertising with celebrities has been banned since mid-2022.

The investigation is being conducted by the Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office. So far, not all suspects have been arrested or questioned. Some of them are said to be abroad and are therefore currently not accessible to the Turkish authorities.

Conclusion

Influencers who want to advertise illegal gambling and enter into lucrative casino deals are finding it increasingly difficult to avoid problems with the investigative authorities. In many countries, influencers with a wide reach are already facing severe penalties if they advertise illegal gambling on social media. The Turkish authorities are also clearly no longer taking this issue lightly and are taking tough action against those involved. In Turkey, they face a fine or even a prison sentence.