Timeline
As claimed by Türkiye newspaper journalist Tahir Kum the investigation was initially launched following suspicious bets placed on the match between Ankaraspor and Nazillispor. Kum stated in the news headline, "This incident began with the match between Ankaraspor and Nazillispor, and the high volume of betting on that match." On 11 September 2025, roughly 1.5 years after the match in which no shots were taken, the TFF imposed bans on two club presidents and 18 footballers after conducting an investigation. [9] [10] [11]
The audit performed by the Turkish Football Federation, which was made public on October 27, 2025, reported widespread betting activity among referees, raising concerns about compliance with integrity rules. This audit included all 571 professional referees currently officiating in Turkey from every level of the sport. From this audit, it was revealed that 371, or 65%, of the active professional referees held registered betting accounts, which is a direct violation of FIFA and UEFA rules stating that referees are prohibited from any gambling, and simply having a betting account is a violation. [1]
Of these, 152 referees were found to have actively placed bets on football matches. This included both domestic competitions, like the Süper Lig and lower-tier Turkish leagues, and international fixtures. Among the implicated officials, seven were elite main referees from the Süper Lig, 15 were elite assistant referees, 36 were regional main referees, and 94 were regional assistant referees. [2] [4]
Hacıosmanoğlu described the findings as severe and indicative of long-standing governance issues. In extreme cases, ten referees placed over 10,000 bets each, with one referee making 18,227 bets. Furthermore, 42 referees were found to have placed more than 1,000 wagers specifically on football matches. [12]
Hacıosmanoğlu described the issue as a "deep-rooted problem" in Turkish football. He stressed a commitment to "clean up what is dirty" through strict measures. Under the TFF Disciplinary Code Article 57, gambling violations lead to penalties of three months to one-year bans. However, FIFA and UEFA are expected to impose harsher punishments due to the scandal’s extent and its threat to the sport's integrity. Further on, Hacıosmanoğlu announced a plans for a referee training program emphasizing ethical compliance, enhanced oversight mechanisms, such as real-time monitoring of referee financial activities and collaboration with law enforcement to investigate potential match-fixing linked to betting patterns.
Approximately 5 hours later Hacıosmanoğlu's press conference, journalist Murat Ağırel claimed on social media that MHK President Ferhat Gündoğdu had an active betting account. [13] Further more, Kum claimed that a club president placed 3,057 bets and won 476 times, a masseur placed 2,399 bets and won 329 times, a footballer placed 1,950 bets and won 340 times, while another footballer and coaching staff members were found to have placed bets 15,987 times and won 3,138 times. [9]
A day later, on 28 October, TFF and took disciplinary action against the 152 referees, referring them to the Professional Football Discipline Board (PFDK). 7 top flight main referees along the 152 were Zorbay Küçük, Egemen Artun, Mehmet Ali Özer, Melih Kurt, Muhammed Selim Özbek, Seyfettin Alper Yılmaz and Yunus Dursun. [14]
Among the 7, Yunus Dursun and Egemen Artun were each given a 10-month ban, while Muhammed Selim Özbek, Mehmet Ali Özer and Seyfettin Alper Yılmaz were each given an 8-month ban. It was also decided to continue the investigation into the allegations of betting activities involving top-tier referees Zorbay Küçük and Melih Kurt and lower-tier referee Mertcan Tubay. [15] The remaining 144 referees officiating in lower divisions were all punished with 8 to 12 month bans; due to these penalties exceeding 45 days, the refereeing rights of the 144 referees and 5 Süper Lig elite level referees were terminated. [15] [16]
Küçük's lawyer argued that two fake betting accounts had been opened in the referee's name and that his identity details had been stolen by a foreign individual. Küçük stated that he had never been a member of a betting site or placed any bets, either before or during his refereeing career. [17] [18]
On 31 October, during a political rally in Esenyurt, Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chair Özgür Özel claimed that the red card shown to Göztepe player in a Süper Lig match against an undisclosed team was "unfairly issued" and correlated with a substantial bet. Özel asserted that 5.5 million Turkish Lira was wagered on the red card from Northern Cyprus on the same day. Subsequently, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an ex officio investigation on 31 October 2025 into the claims of illegal betting and potential match manipulation related to the match. [19]
