The Turkish football betting investigation is set to continue with a new major operation, Istanbul’s chief public prosecutor has said, noting that some club presidents and TV sports commentators could also be among the new targets.
“We will pursue this investigation to the very end. You will see not only referees but also club presidents involved in the operations,” Akın Gürlek said in a statement on Nov. 20.
UEFA and Interpol will provide lists to the prosecutors in Istanbul and, in the coming days, Turkish authorities may carry out another major operation, he said.
“We want football to be cleansed of these practices,” Gürlek added.
The chief prosecutor also noted that connections may exist among presidents and referees and between coaches and commentators. He revealed that a commentator had been found to place bets through an account opened under his spouse’s name.
The Turkish football betting scandal began in late October when the president of the national football federation, İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu, disclosed that hundreds of referees had been found to participate in betting, a revelation that has since received extensive coverage nationwide.
The Turkish Football Federation’s Disciplinary Board temporarily suspended more than 100 referees and players, covering both lower and top-tier leagues. Eight people have been arrested so far, including Eyüpspor President Murat Özkaya and referees Erkan Arslan, Yakup Yapıcı and Nevzat Okat.
Meanwhile, Türkiye’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) has also been actively involved.
On Nov. 20, it reported that 147 referees conducted transactions worth 21 million Turkish Liras ($495.000) on legal domestic betting platforms between 2021 and 2025.
Arslan topped the list with transactions totaling 10.5 million liras, while top-tier referee Zorbay Küçük recorded two transactions, amounting to 5,000 liras in total.
