Turkish Police Use AI to Dismantle Illegal Betting Networks in 39 Provinces

AI System Identifies Coded Gambling Communications

Turkish authorities arrested 121 people in a nationwide crackdown on illegal betting operations, according to reports published November 7. The operation relied heavily on an artificial intelligence system developed by Istanbul police, which investigators say helped uncover a complex network of unauthorized gambling activities across the country.

The tool, named AVCI, which translates to “hunter” in Turkish, is an open-source intelligence analysis system designed to process large volumes of digital data. According to the Turkish Minute, the system utilizes natural language processing to recognize coded language, slang, and specific emoji combinations often used to evade detection. It is also capable of analyzing photos and videos to link accounts operating under different identities. A key feature of AVCI is its ability to save messages from closed groups in real-time, preserving evidence that might otherwise be deleted before investigators can access it.

Coordinated Raids Across 39 Provinces

A coordinated raid took place on November 3 in 39 provinces. Police initially targeted 194 suspects and successfully arrested 169 individuals. Following judicial review, court orders placed 121 suspects in custody pending trial. The remaining detainees were released under different conditions: 45 were released under judicial supervision, and three were released without restrictions, according to the Turkish newspaper Sabah.

The investigation revealed the scale of the digital infrastructure supporting the illegal operations. AVCI identified approximately 306,000 potentially incriminating messages within 47 Telegram groups. Among those identified was a 21-year-old software developer, who was flagged as a central player in the network. The developer operated under a Telegram identity that referenced Michael Carroll, the British lottery winner, according to reports.

Previous Operations and Asset Seizures

The November crackdown is part of a broader series of actions by Turkish authorities to combat illegal gambling. A previous investigation in May resulted in the arrest of 108 people across 35 provinces. During that operation, AVCI reviewed around 600,000 messages, which led to the blocking of 5,151 websites. These included 5,000 illegal betting platforms, 111 promotional websites, and 40 payment processing sites.

Separately, a gendarmerie-led probe by the Aydın province identified 40 suspects involved in significant financial flows. Authorities reported bank account transactions totaling TRY 3.484 billion, equivalent to approximately $102 million. Related to this probe, 37 people were detained in raids across 14 provinces on November 3. Precautionary measures were imposed on 467 bank accounts, four cryptocurrency accounts, and four vehicles. Investigators also seized phones, computers, storage devices, and SIM cards during the searches.

Impact on Licensed Operators

The crackdown has also targeted schemes that manipulate data for betting purposes. In October, four suspects were jailed pending trial over a scheme involving delayed live sports data. This manipulation caused data provider Spordata and licensed sportsbooks to lose TRY 12 million, or roughly $240,000, according to court records cited by the Turkish Minute. The use of AI tools like AVCI marks a significant shift in how Turkish regulators approach the enforcement of gambling laws, moving from reactive measures to proactive digital surveillance.

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