Turkish Soccer Betting Scandal Details Revealed With More Arrests

Players from some of Turkey’s top soccer teams have been arrested and held in detention over a betting scandal that continues to rock the country. Galatasaray player Metehan Baltaci and Fenerbahce player Mert Hakan Yandas were among 20 individuals arrested and jailed on Tuesday. Meanwhile, club presidents are facing serious charges of money laundering and match-fixing.

The scandal first erupted at the start of November when the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) suspended 149 referees. The investigation then led to over 1,000 players being suspended by the TFF.

Now, criminal cases are accelerating with players, referees, and club officials all under arrest. Charges vary from betting as a youth player to accusations of directly influencing the result of top-tier matches.

Fenerbahce Player Accused of Fixing Results

In the latest round of arrests, one of the most prominent is experienced Fenerbahce midfielder, Yandas. He has made over 100 appearances for the club, including matches in the UEFA Champions League and representing the Turkish national team.

Turkish media outlet Anadolu reported details of the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. Yandas is alleged to have sent 4.5 million Turkish Lira ($100,000) to accomplice Ersen Dikmen between December 2021 to October this year.

Dikmen then deposited the money in a betting account and placed bets on soccer matches. Some of the matches included Fenerbahce games, and Yandas is accused of deliberately influencing match outcomes.

Former Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho openly criticized Turkish soccer standards during his time at the club. He left at the start of this season, but last year stated, “I blame the Fenerbahce people that brought me here. They told me only half of the truth.

“They didn’t tell me the whole truth because if they told me the whole truth, I wouldn’t come. But, with half of the truth and my boys, we fight opponents and the system.” It appears the club may also have been battling with its own players.

Club Presidents Also Facing Charges

Some of the more serious allegations also include club presidents accused of using their positions to fix matches. Murat Sancak, President of Super Lig club Adana Demirspor, faces money laundering charges. The well-connected businessman reportedly sent $28 million to 63 individuals for illegal betting purposes.

Additionally, two lower league club presidents are accused of fixing the result of a match. Prosecutors revealed phone calls between Ankaraspor President Mehmet Emin Katipoglu and Nazilli Belediyespor President Sahin Kaya before and after a match between the teams in 2024.

The two club presidents reportedly agreed to draw the match. An investigation revealed that Kaya had placed bets on an illegal betting site. The match ended 0-0. A draw guaranteed Ankaraspor’s qualification to the playoffs and Nazilli Belediyespor’s stay in the league.

Club presidents are also forbidden from placing bets, especially in matches involving their own teams. In England, Tony Bloom, owner of Premier League club Brighton, has also been accused this week of placing bets on matches involving the club. He denies the allegations.

Galatasaray Player Admits Betting When Younger

Most other allegations appear less serious. Baltaci of Turkish Super Lig champions Galatasaray admitted to opening a betting account at the site Nesine, but said he no longer uses it.

He is also accused of betting on Galatasaray matches, but said it was when he was a youth player, and he did not realize it was prohibited. In a statement, he added that after joining the first team, he has not placed any bets.

Prosecutors highlighted messages he sent in a WhatsApp group, asking if there were any good bets. He claims this proves he was not match-fixing, but rather placing bets casually, as any gambler would.

Turkish soccer players, however, are strictly forbidden from placing any bets on soccer matches or owning a betting account. Restrictions are similar to those placed on NCAA athletes in the US. The college organization recently reversed its decision to allow students to wager on pro sports.

While the rules aim to protect sporting integrity, they can also lead to seemingly harsh penalties for placing harmless bets. The complication in the Turkish betting scandal is that the investigation appears to be conflating casual bets placed when players were young with active match-fixing.

Additional Bets on Opponent to Win

Other lower league players have been accused of betting against their own team, but it appears they did not fix matches. Prosecutors stated that Ensar Bilir, an active player for Boluspor, wagered against the Turkish second-tier club on multiple occasions.

Court documents state he bet on Istanbulspor to beat his side in matches in 2022 and 2024. On both occasions, Boluspor won the matches. Furthermore, Bilir did not play in either match.

Prosecutors claim that he had four active accounts on illegal betting sites. The player denies holding any illegal accounts or placing bets against his own team.

The privileged information players have about team lineups and player injury status means even if betting rules were relaxed, it is unlikely these bets would ever be permitted. In the NBA betting scandal, much of the focus has been on feeding insider information that gave bettors an edge over betting markets.

Another player in the same division, Emircan Cicek of Pendikspor, also placed bets against his own team, prosecutors stated. Cicek allegedly placed bets using an account opened in his mother’s name. He admitted having an account at an illegal site, but claimed the bets were low value and he could not remember if they involved his own team.

TFF President Ibrahim Hacıosmanoğlu has led the widespread investigations, vowing to clean up Turkish football. He said the sport is in a “moral crisis,” but stated, “We will not compromise on justice in football. Our mission is clear: to create a fair environment where every victory is earned, not manipulated.”