Thousands of lives are ruined, 55 billion dollars to the ‘Betting Pit’

//

Lerato Khumalo

Illegal betting and gambling continues to be one of Turkey’s most bleeding wounds. According to the data of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the illegal betting market controlled by organized crime groups on an international scale has reached 1.7 trillion dollars. Turkey’s annual loss due to illegal betting and gambling is estimated to be 55 billion dollars. Journalist Ayhan Şensoy, who wrote the book “Betting Pit”, is one of the people who knows best the damage that illegal betting and gambling does to the country, the lives destroyed, the money laundered and the invisible face of organized crime groups. We talked with Şensoy about the illegal betting and gambling scheme that ruins the lives of thousands of people.

Şensoy: “Turkey has an annual loss of 55 billion dollars due to illegal betting and gambling. The loss in taxes is 300 billion TL.”

“I WROTE IT IN 6 YEARS”

-What was your purpose in writing this book and what motivated you to write it?

“One day, I happened to be in one of the ghetto districts of Istanbul. There was a crowd on the street and a woman was running down her house crying. After waiting for a while, I went to the woman and asked, ‘Are you okay, what happened?’ I asked, “My son was involved in illegal betting and gambling. We had a house and we had to sell it.” I decided to address this issue that day. As I researched, I realized that this area was a completely closed box, not a written book. “The research and writing process took 6 years.”

-I know that you also raise awareness with this book. I guess many people have reached out to you and asked for help in recovering from addiction?

”Yes, there are many people who lost their homes, money and even ended their lives in this pit. After the book was published, there were young people who contacted me and said they wanted to get treatment. “So I directed those people to the Red Crescent’s addiction fighting center, and currently 22 of our young people are receiving treatment.”

35 THOUSAND RENTAL ACCOUNTS

”When you become a member of an illegal betting and gambling site from a mobile phone, do you carry a huge casino in your pocket?

“People can place illegal bets and gambles on their mobile phones without having to go to Cyprus or Dubai. Can you imagine the risk of this? Moreover, not only poor people who want to make money, but also rich people turn to illegal betting and gambling. After the book came out, a former football player called me and said he lost one and a half million dollars. Turkey has an annual loss of 55 billion dollars due to illegal betting and gambling. “The loss in taxes is 300 billion TL.”

-You state that there are people who rent their accounts. What happens to these people?

”Gangs go to university students, housewives, old people. It is said that people will be given 20 thousand TL per month for opening accounts in two different banks. This figure, especially offered to university students who have no money, seems attractive. Those who accept are involved in crime. Our people do not know what is going on in the bank accounts they open. Because they can’t control the account. Millions of liras of money are transferred from accounts. They make illegal money legal through the accounts I mentioned. “Approximately 35 thousand people’s accounts in Turkey are rented.”

-I guess these gangs also employ people as “bank tellers”?

”Before crypto money entered our lives, money was deposited to illegal betting and gambling sites via mobile banks. ATMs took the accumulated money to collectors, and people called collectors introduced black money into the system. Different businesses are now used to put money into the system. This could be a beauty center or a restaurant. There are businesses opened just to launder illegal betting and gambling money. “Recently, beauty centers are perfect for this area.”

Thousands of lives are ruined, 55 billion dollars in 'Betting Pit' - Picture: 2
Şensoy; ”Minister of Internal Affairs Ali Yerlikaya has been struggling sincerely after taking office. In one and a half, 2 years; 4.5-five billion dollars worth of money and property obtained from illegal betting and gambling were seized. Unfortunately, there may be problems in the judicial department.”

“ALİ KOÇ DOES NOT RECEIVE SUPPORT”

-There is also a sociological aspect of the issue. What if I asked you to explain the social harms of the problem?

”There is a story of a hairdresser in the book. I would love for people to read the chapter I mentioned. The story of a citizen who lost his shop, car, house and divorced his wife within 3 months is very striking. While families are dispersed due to illegal gambling and betting, children become involved in crime at an early age. Young people who drop out of school fall into the trap of gangs.”

-What is the extent of the damage caused by the illegal betting and gambling market to Turkish football?

“Until 2015, clubs were receiving an annual share of five percent from legal betting. This rate was reduced to 2 percent. Clubs suffered serious losses from legal betting revenues. Another issue that has been discussed recently is illegal broadcasts. Those who finance these broadcasts are illegal betting gangs. Clubs have a 100 percent annual share. There is a million Euro loss. FeneEven though rbahçe President Mr. Ali Koç expresses this problem at every opportunity, he does not receive enough support. On the other hand, there are club owners and club presidents who are involved in this business. “There are 18 club presidents or owners who were previously involved in crime and were punished.”

(email protected)