Tough penalties aimed at curbing online gambling in Türkiye
Turkish authorities are not entirely supportive of the spreading trend of online gambling that is emerging in many countries around the world, as proposed legislation aims to curb the trend by imposing hefty fines on Turkish online gamblers, ending a long-running battle against the intensification of online gambling.
Turkey’s war against online gambling has been raging since Turkey banned it in 2007. Recently, lawmakers have been keen to target partner companies as well as online gambling operators, and even media companies, financial institutions and customers have come under attack, Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported.
Stern penalties and huge fines
The proposed legislation is so strict that online website agents residing in Turkey could face years in prison if they violate the provisions of the draft law. People who assist websites in processing payments will be subject to similar penalties, while media companies that advertise or promote online gambling will be jailed for between one and three years.
Turkey’s Banking Regulatory Authority will be responsible for ensuring that online gambling companies cannot process payments via credit or debit cards, while the responsibility for IP blocking will be left to telecommunications agencies.
Players will face fines of approximately 100,000 to 500,000 Turkish liras ($55,000 to $278,000), which is indeed a huge fine in a country where the average national income is only about $6,000 per year.
The new offensive is a significant boost to Turkey's fight against online gambling, which has grown increasingly frustrated with a lack of success since a 2007 ban. For the average Turk, such a hefty fine can be literally life-threatening and take years to recover from. But maybe that's the assessment of those behind the legislation, perhaps making the punishment so overwhelmingly intimidating in the hope that the public won't even consider breaking the law for a little recreational gambling.
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Source: www.casino.org
