Turkish Pop Star Sentenced in Gambling Promotion Case

Turkish pop singer Serdar Ortaç has been sentenced to 10 months in prison and fined ₺400 ($10.93) for promoting illegal gambling, following a ruling by the 25th Criminal Court of First Instance in Istanbul. 

However, the court suspended the sentence, placing him on probation instead. This decision means Ortaç will avoid jail time unless he repeats the offense during his probation. 

The court also lifted prior judicial control measures that had been imposed on one of the country’s most popular singers, songwriters, and composers.

Broader Crackdown on Gambling Promotion

Ortaç’s case is part of a broader crackdown on illegal gambling promotion in Turkey. 

Authorities have been targeting public figures involved in such activities, particularly those with large social media followings. 

The investigation previously led to Ortaç being placed under house arrest alongside TV personality Mehmet Ali Erbil, both accused of taking part in promotional content linked to gambling operations in Malta.

Following the initial house arrest, Ortaç’s legal team appealed, leading to the Istanbul High Criminal Court lifting the restriction before the final sentencing. 

His lawyer argued that Ortaç had been manipulated into participating in a hotel and restaurant opening event, which later turned out to be linked to gambling promotions.

Social Media Figures Targeted in Gambling Probe

Alongside Ortaç and Erbil, DJ and influencer Kerimcan Durmaz was recently released from jail after being accused of promoting gambling during a nightclub performance in Malta. 

Prosecutors sought a prison sentence of over five years, arguing that Durmaz’s significant online influence heightened the risk of encouraging illegal gambling.

Footage from his performance reportedly showed gambling advertisements projected behind him while he DJed at Toy Room Malta, a popular club in St Julian’s. 

Durmaz denied any involvement, saying the club has “projected an image of an illegal betting advertisement” without his knowledge.

Authorities alleged Durmaz had turned towards the screen during his set, making it unlikely he was unaware of the images. 

Durmaz defended himself, explaining his words had been taken out of context: “I normally get a lot of champagne, but this time I didn’t get the champagne I wanted. I learned that there was a casino at the hotel… but the part where I said the champagne I wanted was cut.”, he said.

Operation CYBERAĞ-13

Turkey has strict gambling laws, allowing only state-approved organizations to operate. 

The recent cases signal an aggressive push to clamp down on social media-driven gambling promotions. 

In December, Turkey’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that 27 people had been arrested as part of Operation CYBERAĞ-13, a four-month-long investigation led by Turkey’s cybercrime unit targeting influencers suspected of encouraging illegal betting.

Yerlikaya described illegal betting as “an element of crime that threatens the future of not only individuals, but also society.”

Meanwhile, Ortaç and Erbil maintain their innocence. Ortaç insisted he had been misled into participating in the promotional material. 

“They tricked me and filmed the game on my phone.”, he explained. Erbil, on the other hand, argued he had unknowingly been photographed with a betting-related T-shirt and refused a €25,000 ($26,000) promotional offer from the company.

At the end of January, we reported Turkey’s statistics regarding blocked illegal gaming sites, with the numbers reaching 233,000 in 2024. 

Last October, Turkish organization Yesilay reported an important rise in the number of online gambling addicts at its counseling centers, many of which involved children.