Turkey sees 155-fold surge in gambling addiction treatment cases, YEDAM warns of early exposure risks

New data from Turkey’s Green Crescent Counseling Center (YEDAM) shows requests for help with gambling addiction jumping from just 37 in 2019 to 5,748 in 2025, highlighting how online betting and early exposure are accelerating harm among working-age adults.

The number of people in Turkey seeking professional help for gambling addiction has exploded over the past six years, according to figures released by the Green Crescent Counseling Center (Yeşilay Danışmanlık Merkezi – YEDAM). The organisation reports that gambling-related applications rose from 37 in 2019 to 5,748 in 2025, a 155-fold increase that public-health experts describe as a warning signal for the country’s rapidly evolving betting landscape.

YEDAM, which is run by the Turkish Green Crescent and offers free counselling and psychotherapy for various addictions, says the sharp rise reflects both higher participation in gambling and growing awareness that professional support is available. However, it also indicates that many people are only reaching out once their situation has escalated into a severe financial and psychological crisis.

The data points to early exposure as a key risk factor. According to YEDAM, 34.3 percent of clients said they encountered gambling before turning 18, while another 42.8 percent began between 18 and 25. Only 22.7 percent reported starting after 25, meaning that nearly one in three people who eventually seek treatment had already come into contact with gambling during childhood.

Gambling-related harm is also heavily concentrated among working-age adults. Almost 80 percent of those seeking help are between 20 and 40 years old, split between 36.7 percent in the 20–30 bracket and 43.4 percent in the 30–40 bracket, with the share dropping sharply after age 50. The profile challenges stereotypes that see problem gambling as a fringe issue, instead framing it as a mainstream risk for people in their peak earning and borrowing years.

YEDAM’s breakdown of education levels further undermines the idea that gambling addiction is limited to less educated groups. Among those who sought support, 13 percent hold postgraduate degrees, 11.3 percent are university graduates and 11.5 percent have associate degrees, suggesting that higher education does not shield individuals from gambling-related harm once risky habits take hold.

Despite the bleak trend, YEDAM stresses that treatment can be highly effective when clients engage consistently. Green Crescent chairman Mehmet Dinç says that “eight out of ten” people who regularly attend psychotherapy sessions at the centre are able to distance themselves from gambling and rebuild their lives, underscoring the importance of early referral and sustained follow-up.

Turkey maintains one of the more restrictive gambling regimes in Europe, with legal play largely confined to state-controlled sports betting and lottery products, while private online casino-style gambling remains prohibited. Yet officials and treatment providers note that illegal online betting, easily accessible via smartphones, has widened exposure and made it harder for at-risk players to maintain control.

For policymakers and regulators, the six-year surge in treatment demand will likely feed into broader debates on enforcement, advertising and player protection. For operators watching Turkey from abroad, the figures are a reminder that even in restrictive markets, gambling-related harm can scale quickly when digital access, early exposure and limited awareness of risks intersect.