Turkish Football Rocked: Gambling Scandal Extends Far Beyond Referees

ISTANBUL – The Turkish football landscape is grappling with a potential corruption disaster after revelations by Turkish Football Federation (TFF) President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu confirmed a widespread gambling scandal involving professional referees. The bombshell announcement has raised serious questions about the integrity of the nation’s most popular sport, suggesting the rot may run far deeper than initially believed.

In a recent statement, Hacıosmanoğlu disclosed alarming figures: out of 571 professional referees under TFF jurisdiction, 371 were found to have active betting accounts, with 152 actively placing bets.

“The findings are horrifying,” writes the columnist. “Imagine a system where the very people entrusted with ensuring fair play are betting instead of managing the games. Which matches, which results can fans actually believe in now?”

The sentiment is clear: Turkish football is fundamentally compromised.

The Investigation Widens

Following the TFF’s internal audit, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office announced that it is deepening its investigation into the matter. According to sources, the betting scandal is highly unlikely to be confined to referees alone. The inquiry is expected to widen its net to include footballers, coaches, club officials, and even personnel within the TFF itself. The implication is that this is just the tip of a much larger iceberg.

The initial list of “betting” referees, compiled by the TFF in cooperation with the Spor Toto Organization Presidency, was derived from data provided by licensed domestic Turkish betting companies. However, this is just one piece of the puzzle:

• Antalya Public Prosecutor’s Office: Holds another list of names stemming from individual complaints filed by 11 referees.
• Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office: Is already conducting a much broader illegal betting probe, which began in April. This extensive investigation previously targeted Papara, an online payment system, over allegations of money laundering tied to illicit gambling revenue.

During the Papara operation, accounts were seized, and players and referees who accessed Papara and Payfix—systems allegedly used by illegal betting rings—were identified. Authorities are now cross-referencing names across these three separate files. Furthermore, investigations are being conducted into the communications (HTS records) and the assets of the immediate families of those identified.

Key Questions Loom Over Match Integrity

The investigation now faces critical questions that will determine the scale of the damage to the leagues:

• Did these referees bet on the matches they were directly officiating?
• Did they make decisions intended to influence the outcome of a match for personal gain?
• Who are the players, coaches, and club managers involved in betting activities?

This complex process is not expected to be resolved quickly.

In a move intended to restore public trust and ensure “clean football,” the TFF has referred the identified “gambling” referees to the Professional Football Disciplinary Committee (PFDC). The focus has now shifted to all matches managed by these officials, with demands that any financial gain—whether made by the referees themselves or through family and friends acting on their behalf—must be fully exposed.

For now, the formal investigation remains centered on the referee file, but the trajectory suggests the betting scandal will continue to unravel, potentially implicating all levels of Turkish professional football.

By Dilek Gungor, SABAH Gazette