Turkey’s gambling tax revenue surpasses TRY 50bn on surge in betting demand

Turkey’s gambling tax receipts have jumped to TRY 50.2bn (around US$1.18bn) in the first eleven months of 2025, already exceeding the full-year 2024 total – a spike officials link to stronger enforcement against parallel betting structures and a sustained boom in wagering.

Turkey’s public finances are seeing a sharp uplift from the gambling sector as tax revenue from betting and gaming climbs above TRY 50bn for the first time. According to newly released government figures, collections from taxes on gambling reached TRY 50.2bn between January and November 2025 – more than the total for all of 2024. In dollar terms, this equates to roughly US$1.18bn, underscoring just how quickly the taxable base has expanded.

Officials attribute the surge to a combination of factors. On the demand side, sports betting in particular has continued to grow, driven by football, basketball and international competitions, as well as the increasing use of online and mobile channels. At the same time, Ankara has stepped up efforts to dismantle the “parallel structures” that previously siphoned betting flows away from the regulated system, tightening monitoring of payment channels and clamping down on unlicensed operators.

By pushing more activity into the licensed market and capturing a larger share of total wagering through formal channels, these measures have boosted tax receipts even as policymakers keep a close eye on gambling-related harm and the integrity of sport. The government is expected to keep using both enforcement and fiscal tools in tandem – blocking parallel networks while fine-tuning tax and licensing rules – to ensure that betting demand translates into sustainable, transparent revenue for the state budget rather than feeding the informal economy.