site.btaOver 40 Football Players, Club Presidents, Managers in Turkiye Arrested on Charges of Illegal Betting

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has ordered new arrests as part of a large-scale investigation into illegal betting, the state television TRT Haber reported Friday. Fourty-six individuals including footballers, football club officials and managers were detained on Friday morning. Among those detained are the well-known football commentators Ahmet Cakar and Murat Sancak, the former chair of the Adana Demirspor football club, Fenerbahce player Mert Hakan Yandas and Galatasaray player Metehan Baltaci.

The television station quoted Istanbul Chief Prosecutor Akin Gurek as saying that more operations could follow in the coming days.

Turkish media outlets, which have been closely following the case, report that the investigation by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office began following a press release by the President of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu, on October 27, 2025. The release stated that 371 referees had betting accounts and that 152 individuals had been identified as active bettors.

Last month, Turkish authorities issued arrest warrants for 21 individuals, including 17 referees and the president of a top-flight football club, as part of the investigation into betting offences. TFF reported that 1,024 players from all Turkish football leagues, including those from Besiktas and Galatasaray, had participated in illegal betting. They have been temporarily suspended and referred to the disciplinary committee at TFF headquarters.

According to the website Turkiye Today, the Federation's statement said that all 1,024 players had been punished under Article 57 of the TFF regulations, which prohibits athletes from betting on football matches.