Turkey’s Referees Go Full NBA! 371 Football Officials Busted In Massive Betting Probe

Last Updated:October 27, 2025, 19:46 IST

A probe revealed over 150 Turkish referees actively gambling, with 371 holding betting accounts, sparking a major TFF scandal and imminent disciplinary action in Turkey.

Jose Mourinho ruffled a few feathers during his stint at Fenerbahce boss (AP)

NBA, step aside — Turkish football is here to steal the limelight (for all the wrong reasons).

Amid the NBA’s insider gambling scandal, Turkey’s football federation (TFF) has uncovered a staggering gambling scandal within its own refereeing ranks.

More than two-thirds of active referees in Turkey are found to have betting accounts, and over 150 of them are actively gambling, federation president İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu confirmed on Monday.

“Cleaning Up Our Own Backyard"

Speaking at a tense press conference in Istanbul, Hacıosmanoğlu said the investigation, conducted with data from state institutions and betting regulators, revealed that 371 of 571 referees registered across Türkiye’s professional leagues had betting accounts.

“As a federation, we started by cleaning up our own backyard," Hacıosmanoğlu declared.

“Out of 571 referees, 371 hold betting accounts, and 152 are actively gambling. We are determined to clean our football from any shadow of corruption. There will be no exceptions."

Among those flagged are seven top-tier referees, 15 elite assistants, 36 classified referees, and 94 classified assistants, he said.

Thousands Of Bets Placed

While betting is legal and widespread in Türkiye, referees are strictly forbidden from gambling under international football integrity rules.

The probe revealed extraordinary betting activity: one referee reportedly placed 18,227 bets, while 42 referees wagered on more than 1,000 matches each.

The findings cover a five-year period, and under Article 57 of the TFF’s disciplinary code, referees caught betting face bans ranging from three months to one year from officiating or any football-related activity.

The revelations have drawn comparisons to Türkiye’s infamous 2011 match-fixing scandal, when more than 90 individuals, including referees and club executives, were charged with manipulating match outcomes.

Disciplinary Action Imminent

Hacıosmanoğlu confirmed that the federation’s disciplinary board will immediately review all cases and enforce penalties “in accordance with our regulations."

Officials found guilty could also face criminal referrals under FIFA and UEFA’s zero-tolerance gambling policies, which prohibit referees from even holding betting accounts.

(with agency inputs)

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

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