Are you planning to start a lucrative online casino business in Turkey? Are you looking for a premium provider to help you on your Turkish casino iGaming journey? Do you want more details about Turkey’s iGaming regulations scenario?
Well, then you’ve come to the right place. However, you need to be very careful when setting up your online casino business here, as private casinos are banned due to local Turkish gambling laws and the control of local bodies like IDDAA and Milli Piyango İdaresi over other iGaming sectors like sports betting and lotteries.
A safer way to establish an online Turkish casino platform is through offshore licenses and international gaming platforms, with the help of scalable and agile casino solutions for global markets and compliance solutions for regulatory safety.
This blog offers an insight into the regulatory landscape for online casinos in Turkey, how to start an online casino business in Turkey, and how GammaStack can be an ideal platform provider for Turkey.
Overview of the Casino Market in Turkey
The overall situation of the casino market in Turkey is significantly volatile, with a lot of regulations in place to ensure that illegal private casinos are kept at bay. Moreover, state bodies have monopolised gambling activities like sports betting and lotteries. However, the illegal gambling market has had a significant share in Turkey, with certain giant companies reaping significant profits.
Historical Context of Gambling in Turkey
Land-based casinos were initially legal. However, legislative pressure was increased in the 1990s, and in 1998, they were outlawed by Law 7258 in Turkey. Furthermore, online casinos were also banned in 2007 via the Turkish Criminal Code’s Article 288. Only state bodies like IDDAAMilli Piyango İdaresi control certain portions of the gambling market.
Current Digital & Gaming Trends
However, this void has created a huge illegal online gambling market in Turkey that is frequently catered to by offshore operators. This huge casino market is projected to have a steady growth rate. In addition, mobile-based casino games are preferred by the bettors there.
Legal Landscape and Gambling Regulations in Turkey
Here is a basic overview of the legal landscape and the gambling regulations scenario in Turkey –
State Monopoly on Gambling Activities
The gambling scenario in Turkey is exclusively in the hands of the local state-owned bodies, including Milli Piyango İdaresi (for lotteries), IDDAA (for sports betting), and Jockey Club (for horse race betting). There are no private license provisions for casinos or online gambling platforms aimed at local customers.
Ban on Private and Online Casinos
All forms of private casinos – be they online or land-based – are illegal in nature; The Information and Communication Technologies Authority (often abbreviated as BTK in the local language) stringently regulates the online space and blocks sites through IP/DNS/URL systems filtering through DPI technologies. In recent times, there has been a renewed push and pressure to crack down on online gambling sites. Furthermore, the advertisement of online casinos is also banned in the country.
Penalties and Enforcement for Illegal Gambling
The penalties for those convicted of operating illegal gambling firms are severe – you need to pay hefty fines and may have to deal with potential asset seizures, and you can also be imprisoned for up to five years. In addition, recent crackdowns have also started targeting financial or technological companies that are related to online gambling sites.
What “Online Casino Solutions” Means in the Turkish Context
When it comes to defining online casino solutions in the Turkish jurisdictional and commercial context, there are two major concepts that you need to keep in mind –
Definition of Online Casino Solutions
Basic conception of a quick-launch online casino for beginners includes a turnkey/white-label casino solution that provides payment systems, game content, backend management tools, and compliance-based features for broader regional/global operations.
Platforms, Games, and Technology Involved
You can include popular regional game choices, including RNG slots, live dealer games, blockchain-based payments, and multilingual localisation support for Turkish users living abroad.
Challenges of Starting an Online Casino Business in Turkey
While starting preliminary plans for kick-starting an online casino business in Turkey, you need to keep in mind that there are several challenges that you need to tackle –
Strict Legal Restrictions
In addition to the total prohibition on local Turkish private online casino licenses, there is also a total and stringent prohibition on providing access to iGaming platforms through digital information systems like servers, applications, or websites, as per Article 228 of the Turkish Criminal Code.
IP Blocking and Financial Barriers
Furthermore, the local digital regulation authority, the BTK, strictly blocks access to Turkish users to online casinos, limiting the potential of rapid customer expansion. In addition, associated payment gateways and processors also face regulatory shutdowns if they are caught associating with online casino apps.
Regulatory Risks for Operators & Players
Strict regulations also come hand-in-hand with severe fines and imprisonment. With a recently renewed crackdown on illegal casino sites, VPN monitoring has also been started on a larger scale to detect illegal activity.
Legal Ways Turkish Entrepreneurs Can Participate in the iGaming Industry
If you’re still planning to proceed with launching a casino software solution as a Turkish entrepreneur, you can use the following operational methods –
Operating Licensed Services in Other Jurisdictions
You can address licensing prohibitions by getting other easy and popular licenses, like a Curacao or Malta gaming license, so that you can easily operate offshore by targeting non-Turkish players.
Targeting International Players from Offshore Locations
Once you have selected your international target customer pool, you can establish a base in regions near Turkey where online casino laws are lenient, including Cyprus or Armenia. You can use geo-fencing methods to avoid bringing in Turkish players by error.
Geo-Blocking Turkish Users for Compliance
You need to enforce strict geo-blocking measures to ensure that you avoid bans caused by including Turkish players within your platform. Instead, you could focus on other nearby regional markets, including those in Asia and Europe.
Online Casino Software and Platform Options for International Operators
You can launch your online casino software successfully by evaluating various platforms through certain criteria based on quality and preferences, which include the following –
Choosing the Right Online Casino Software
When choosing a casino software platform, you need to select software that is scalable, compliant with local iGaming regulations, and has a mobile-primary architecture with omnichannel capacities.
Key Features of Successful Casino Platforms
You need to check the software for a variety of tools that are crucial for successful online casino administration and functioning, including an administrative dashboard, loyalty-based promotional systems, payment processors, and rich gaming content.
Security, Scalability & Compliance Features
You also need to ensure that your software has fair gaming, secure architecture, and robust regulatory compliance – you need to integrate RNGs, Anti Money Laundering Tools, and blockchain-based records.
How to Select the Best Casino Software Provider
When it comes to selecting the best casino software provider, you need to compare different potential providers on the following broad evaluation criteria –
Software Types: White Label vs Custom vs Turnkey
You need to choose between the main casino software types: Turnkey, Custom, and White Label. While turnkey offers greater administrative control and scope for scalability and innovation, White Label saves both time and money more efficiently. On the other hand, customised solutions offer full creative freedom but may cost more in terms of time and money.
Evaluating Providers for Your Business Goals
You also need to evaluate your provider based on ownership and services they provide you during business collaborations – this includes scope for source code ownership and platform ownership/innovation, diverse gaming content library, and localised content based on region/language/time.
Integration & Support Services
You also need to check the level of integration and support services that your provider is offering you – you need to have API-based integrations for various features like games and payment systems. In addition, you also need to look out for round-the-clock dedicated technical support.
Casino Software Development and Maintenance Explained
Once you have selected your casino software provider for iGaming in Turkey, you can proceed with casino software development. This can take the shape of the following developmental pathway –
Custom Casino Software Development
You need to develop a casino software platform with customizations (based on your preferences) and streamlined UI/UX features. In addition, it requires basic functional features such as security, responsible gambling tools, and a PAM suite.
Third-Party Game Integration
You need to integrate various types of games, including live dealer games, slots, card games, and roulette games. You can get them through major gaming content providers like Betsoft and Evolution games through a seamless API integration.
Casino Software Testing and Launch
After the integrations are complete, the software platform is tested and launched for the players to enjoy.
Ongoing Software Support & Upgrades
After the launch, the software provider offers a variety of supporting services, such as bug removals, etc. In addition, the providers also offer updates, upgrades, and upscaling modifications for the software.
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Market Entry Strategies for International Casino Operators
If you are an international casino operator who is looking to enter the casino market in the Turkish region, you can take the following steps to enter the local casino industry –
Offshore Licensing Options
You need to take offshore casino licensing from jurisdictions that offer quick and easy license approval – these include the Anjouan license, the Kahnawake license, and the Curacao license.
Marketing & Player Acquisition Strategies
In addition to licensing, you need a robust marketing system that can help in the expansion of your customer base – you can do this by recruiting affiliates, undertaking SEO-based marketing, promoting crypto and fiat-based gateways, and localizing marketing content for expat customers.
Responsible Gaming Policies
You also need to include a variety of responsible gambling tools, including reality checks, bet limits, and self-exclusion tools. This enables you to build an ethical gaming environment, ensure institutional compliance, and also build player trust offshore.
How GammaStack’s Online Casino Solutions Can Help?
Looking for premium Turkey-focused online casino software? GammaStack is here to help out with all your iGaming needs.
We offer a variety of excellent platform features, including omnichannel compatibility, blockchain-based record-keeping, IP ownership, trusted payment gateway integrations, seamless player lobby system, a robust security system, RNG-certified games by premium game providers, loyalty systems, etc.
Furthermore, GammaStack also offers many other benefits in its online platform for operators, including –
- Robust backend management system
- More than 14 years of industry experience
- A diligent team of more than 500 experienced professionals
- Low/No GGR share
- Dedicated post-launch support
- Integration of the latest technical features
- Omnichannel support
- Localisation support for multiple time zones, languages, and currencies.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are online casinos allowed locally in Turkey?
No, online casino licenses are not provided by the Turkish government, and online casinos are banned there.
Which bodies can take part in the local gambling industry?
The local gambling bodies that can participate in the local gambling industry include the Millî Piyango İdaresi (which oversees lotteries) and IDDAA.
What are some of the regulatory alternative steps that you can take to start an online casino business in Turkey?
You can get an offshore license, like Curacao or Malta, and then target international players.
Can GammaStack help in starting an online casino business in Turkey?
Yes, GammaStack can help in starting an online casino business in Turkey.