licence to bet in another country does not mean you can go ahead and pay for customers in Turkey via Facebook/Instagram. In Turkey there is a very clear division between legal and illegal sports betting. Promoting illegal betting can result in criminal liability. When looking at promoting betting through Instagram Ads for Betting, the first thing to consider is whether the offer from the operator is legal to promote to Turkish audiences. Passing Meta’s approval process does not replace the need to ensure that the promotion is legal. This guide covers all the layers so you can understand the difference between a legal promotion and one that is illegal to advertise to Turkey.
How Betting Works in Turkey: The State Monopoly
There is not an open betting market in Turkey. There is a state monopoly betting system run by Spor Toto. According to official tax guidance, betting games are run by authorised dealers (retail, virtual and mobile) and private companies may get involved through the appropriate delegation. It is a state monopoly meaning that not all the businesses will be directly run or owned by the government. Private brands can be included in the system however this does not mean that a foreign bookmaker offering Turkish support and lira is equivalent.
In practice, Turkey’s broadcasting regulator RTÜK ruled in an enforcement case that websites offering betting services outside of Spor Toto’s authorised virtual dealers were illegal. This is due to the fact that it is an offence under statute to promote unauthorised betting through advertising. Having an operational website or foreign licence will not help you gain authorisation in Turkey. You also must consider the type of product you are offering. According to official information from Milli Piyango, lottery licences are owned by the Türkiye Wealth Fund and run by Sisal Şans under contract. This should not be confused with sports betting authorisation or seen as an overall opportunity for online gambling in Turkey.
Before planning paid social, establish three things:
- • The exact legal entity behind the advertised service.
- • Its Turkish authority for the specific product and distribution channel.
- • The advertiser’s documented right to promote that service in the proposed way.
The third thing to look at as an affiliate is that just because they have a tracking agreement or commission does not mean that the advertising question has been answered. Ask to see the actual authorisation and ensure that it covers everything that will be used in the campaign. Ensure that the operator, landing domain, product and audience are all the same. Just because there is a legal dealer relationship does not mean that this will cover all comparison pages, bonus messaging and third party advertising accounts.
The Turkish Legal Framework for Betting Ads
Advertising for betting and gambling ads in Turkey requires consideration of both the advertising of a permitted service and the advertisement itself. Any contract with an operator does not make the advert permissible. The advertising must comply with the Turkish regulations surrounding the product, the advertiser and the medium. If the service (sports betting) is not permitted, then under article 5(ç) of Law No. 7258, encouraging participation through advertising or other methods is prohibited. This can lead to a penalty of between 1-3 years imprisonment plus a judicial fine up to 3,000 days, as highlighted by RTÜK.
The enforcement of advertising rules can also apply to social media content. In a published bulletin the Advertising Board of the Ministry of Trade took note of Instagram content where illegal betting names and logos were added to videos or reels. They highlighted that under article 27 of the Commercial Advertising and Unfair Commercial Practices Regulation, advertising illegal betting or gambling is prohibited.
Permitted activity has limits. On 13th February 2026, article 31(1)(e) of the sports betting implementation regulation was amended. This means that Spor Toto can now conduct marketing and promotion activity using virtual dealers with the conditions that they do not encourage participation from those under 18, they take into account societal values and the activity is limited to sports related media. This does not mean that any affiliates can purchase inventory on Facebook or Instagram. Consideration must be given to whether the placement falls under permitted sports related media and whether it can be done by a third party. Simply having a creative with a sports theme will not mean that it complies with the rule.
Before approving betting advertisements, retain a dated record of:
- • The operator’s relevant Turkish authorisation.
- • The legal basis and contractual scope for the promotion.
- • The intended audience, placement, wording and destination.
- • The review decision and the person responsible for it.
If any layer remains unresolved, do not treat a successful upload or platform approval as a legal answer.
Meta’s Online Gambling and Games Policy
This is not a free-for-all category but a permitted category. Meta’s own evidence to the UK Parliament clearly states that Meta requires advertising for gambling with real money must be approved in writing. Advertisers must have a valid gambling licence and Meta will not allow gambling ads to be shown to those under 18. This does not mean that a service can legitimately be targeted at Turkey. The authorisation by the Turkish Government must be separately obtained. Having a licence abroad does not answer this question.
Ensure all elements of the campaign have been fully documented. The advertiser, operator, product, landing page and audience should be documented. Just because the operator has a relationship with Meta does not mean they can automatically use the publisher account. Ensure to document exactly what has been approved in writing by Meta.
The affiliate page should be treated in the same way as a direct link. To ensure everything is covered you should take a look at the whole process from advert, through comparison/review page to the promoted service. Just because the initial page is editorial doesn’t mean the campaign as a whole isn’t promotional. Document all the links and offers that a user can click through to. Age targeting is separate. The minimum age on Meta is 18 but this doesn’t override the operators checks and other advertising requirements in Turkey. Just because the audience is adults doesn’t mean the offer is legal to promote betting.
Before submitting gambling ads, check:
- • That local legal review covers the actual campaign, not only the operator.
- • That the approval sought matches the advertiser and destination being used.
- • That targeting and creative follow the applicable requirements.
- • That screenshots, supporting documents and decisions are retained.
The Meta Public Policy pages were not fully accessible during this review. This guide cannot make any guarantees on the current (and verified) list of eligible countries in Turkey or the order in which applications are processed. Please ensure you check the live requirements via Meta’s official business support and approval process. If you are unable to confirm that you have the required approval, do not run your campaign. A successful upload is not an indication that you have been approved.
What IS Allowed and Disallowed
It is important to know what is considered ‘permitted’ when advertising and promoting betting in Turkey. Whilst the service may be allowed within the local regulated system, an affiliate campaign may not be permitted. The regulation from February 2026 outlines that Spor Toto can commission promotion using virtual dealers, however this does not mean that all publishers can advertise betting. If you are looking to advertise an offshore bookmaker, then this is not permitted. Even if the bookmaker has an overseas licence, Turkish website and local payment options, this doesn’t mean that you can advertise to gain Turkish customers. You may face criminal liability for encouraging people to place bets without authorisation.
If the service is permitted within the local regulated market, then you need to ensure that the publisher and campaign will fall within the permitted parameters. The 2026 conditions state that only sports related media can be used and must ensure under 18’s are protected. You need to ensure any specific placements on FaceBookAds for Betting will fit within these conditions. Simply adding football visuals to the content won’t be enough.
Ensure that the content is genuine sports journalism and not promotional. If the content is analysing a match and there are no mentions of the bookmaker then this is different to a comparison page with bonus messaging and links to generate commission. Ensure you look at the full content and where it is going.
The same applies to influencer / entertainment accounts. The Ministry of Trade have looked into illegal betting promotions on Instagram in videos and Reels. You don’t need to display a standard banner in order for there to be an advertising issue.
Before treating a campaign as permissible, establish:
- • The operator’s Turkish authority for the advertised product.
- • The advertiser’s documented role and promotional scope.
- • The suitability of the proposed medium, audience and destination.
- • Meta’s written permission for the relevant gambling advertising.
Each document answers a different question. An affiliate agreement establishes a commercial relationship; a foreign licence concerns another jurisdiction; Meta permission addresses platform access. None independently authorises the whole Turkish campaign. A properly authorised domestic promotion may have a lawful route. Offshore affiliate acquisition without Turkish authorisation should not be advertised into Turkey. Resolve both the local legal position and platform permission before spending.