Ricardo Quaresma Becomes the Brand Ambassador of an Illegal Betting Site

Portuguese football legend Ricardo Quaresma has partnered with MeritBet, an online betting platform banned in Turkey. The company quickly gained widespread attention through promotional videos and social media posts featuring the former Beşiktaş star — a player still highly popular among Turkish football fans.

Ricardo Quaresma’s direct collaboration with MeritBet became clear when the player retweeted several of the platform’s posts and appeared in its promotional materials. The move confirmed an official partnership between the two parties. Using Quaresma’s lasting fame in Turkey, the company rapidly increased its visibility among local football audiences, particularly Beşiktaş supporters.

Ricardo Quaresma–MeritBet Partnership: A Campaign That Went Viral on Social Media

The partnership between Portuguese star Ricardo Quaresma and MeritBet reached a wide audience in a short time through an intensive social media campaign. Quaresma’s reposts of MeritBet content on his X account (formerly Twitter) and his appearances in the brand’s video promotions made it evident that the collaboration was active and ongoing.

MeritBet aimed to capitalize on Quaresma’s strong reputation in Turkey by creating a sense of trust and familiarity among football fans. In the company’s campaigns, Quaresma appeared as the brand ambassador in MeritBet’s analysis and prediction content. The company also organized jersey giveaways featuring the footballer’s name, helping the platform reach an even broader audience.

The partnership — widely discussed in the sports community and across digital platforms — directly contributed to MeritBet’s growing visibility in the Turkish market. Analysts note that illegal betting platforms increasingly rely on celebrity endorsements to create an illusion of trust and legitimacy — a marketing strategy that has become more common in recent years.

A New Marketing Strategy: Legitimacy Through Celebrity Endorsement

The collaboration between MeritBet and Ricardo Quaresma highlights a rising trend among illegal betting companies that use athletes and influencers to promote their brands. Employing a well-known public figure provides these companies with both visibility and credibility.

Research and market analyses show why this strategy has proven effective:

• 🎯 Building Trust: When a recognizable figure is associated with a brand, audiences perceive it as more reliable. For illegal or offshore betting sites, this becomes a powerful tool of legitimacy.

• 📈 Boosting Engagement: Campaigns featuring celebrities generate far higher engagement on social media. The rise in likes, comments, and shares broadens the brand’s overall reach.

• 🧠 Lowering Risk Perception: Younger audiences tend to view betting platforms promoted by athletes or influencers as harmless entertainment, which alters their sense of financial risk.

• 💰 Affiliate Marketing Networks: Illegal betting companies often operate through affiliate systems that pay commissions based on user traffic or sign-ups, encouraging more promotional content.

• 🌍 Rapid Brand Awareness: Viral algorithms allow these campaigns to reach thousands of users within days. MeritBet’s partnership with Quaresma clearly demonstrated this effect.

Ultimately, the Ricardo Quaresma–MeritBet collaboration stands as a clear example of how illegal betting companies seek legitimacy through celebrity endorsements. While such campaigns deliver short-term popularity, they continue to raise serious ethical and legal concerns.

Legal Context: The Boundaries of Gambling Promotion in Turkey

Illegal online betting platforms such as MeritBet are explicitly banned under Turkey’s Law No. 7258 on “Betting and Games of Chance on Football and Other Sports Competitions.” Under this law, promoting, advertising, or directing users to such platforms can result in significant fines and even imprisonment.

However, the partnership between Ricardo Quaresma and MeritBet falls outside the direct reach of Turkish law. Quaresma is not a Turkish citizen and conducts his promotional activities abroad, which makes it legally difficult for Turkish authorities to impose sanctions. The law only applies to actions carried out within Turkey’s jurisdiction.

Despite this, the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) and the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) continue to block access to these sites and monitor related financial transactions. Even though the promotional activities are carried out abroad, targeting Turkish users through social media creates a complex legal gray area.

Experts suggest that the Quaresma–MeritBet case demonstrates how digital globalization challenges national legal boundaries. Although technically outside Turkish jurisdiction, it shows how international collaborations make illegal betting promotions increasingly difficult to regulate.

A New Era for Illegal Betting: Visibility Beyond the Law

The Ricardo Quaresma–MeritBet partnership represents a turning point in the way the illegal betting industry promotes itself. By leveraging social media, celebrity figures, and digital creators, such platforms have found a way to bypass conventional advertising bans. Unable to appear in traditional media, they now reach millions through football icons and online influencers.

Illegal betting sites no longer rely on direct advertising; instead, they integrate into popular culture under the guise of “collaborations” and “promotions.” In Quaresma’s case, the use of a beloved football legend evokes both trust and nostalgia — proving that the illegal sector consistently finds ways to remain visible despite restrictions.

According to analysts, the only sustainable solution is to make the legal betting market more competitive. Turkey’s regulated system remains limited in terms of user experience and betting odds, while illegal platforms attract players with higher returns, aggressive marketing, and generous bonuses. Unless the legal market reaches comparable levels, users will continue to gravitate toward unauthorized platforms.

For now, there are no concrete signs of reform in Turkey’s legal betting system. The Quaresma–MeritBet case thus stands not merely as a controversial celebrity partnership but as a symbol of how a restricted market continues to be outmaneuvered in the digital era.