ANKARA, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Turkish security forces detained 59 suspects in nationwide operations against illegal online betting, according to the country's interior ministry on Wednesday.
The operations were centered in the southern province of Mersin, extending to Sivas, Bursa, Istanbul, Adana, and Manisa, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on the social media platform X, without specifying the time frame of the operations.
According to the minister, 34 of the suspects have been arrested, while judicial control measures were imposed on the remaining 25.
Yerlikaya said investigations revealed that the suspects were running illegal betting operations through websites and facilitating unlawful money transfers.
Authorities detected a transaction volume of 22 billion Turkish lira (528 million U.S. dollars) over the past nine months linked to the suspects.
Gambling in Türkiye is highly regulated, with casinos banned in 1998 and non-state online gambling prohibited in 2006.
A recent nationwide survey conducted by the country's health ministry shows that gambling remains widespread, with 10.1 percent of adults reporting they have gambled at least once in their lifetime. The survey also highlights a rapid increase in illegal online betting, particularly among young people aged 15 to 24. ■
