Massive Scandal in Turkish Football: 152 Active Referees Found Betting on Matches

A sweeping internal investigation by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has uncovered one of the biggest integrity crises in the country’s football history. The probe revealed that hundreds of referees across professional leagues were connected to online betting accounts, prompting the federation to initiate a wide-ranging disciplinary process.

Turkish football is reeling from an unprecedented scandal that raises serious questions about ethics and governance in the sport. An internal audit conducted by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) found that a significant number of active referees were involved in betting activities — a direct violation of both domestic regulations and international football ethics. The federation announced that disciplinary and legal procedures are already underway.

TFF President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu Admits the Scope: 152 Referees Involved in Betting Scandal

TFF President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu publicly confirmed the findings during a press conference, describing them as “deeply troubling” for the integrity of Turkish football.

He stated:

“Ever since sports betting became accessible, we have witnessed moral and ethical decline within Turkish football. We, as the Turkish Football Federation, decided to start by cleaning our own house. Out of 571 active referees in our professional leagues, 371 have betting accounts — and 152 of them have actively placed bets.”

According to the report, the betting activity was not confined to lower-tier officials. It involved referees from multiple levels of the Turkish system — including elite referees, assistant referees, and regional-level officials. The federation’s internal audit identified not only account ownership but also detailed patterns of betting frequency and transaction volume, painting a picture of systemic misconduct.

Referee Betting Report Revealed: TFF Launches Formal Disciplinary Proceedings

The federation’s report also broke down the numbers by category:
7 elite referees, 15 elite assistant referees, 36 national-level referees, and 94 national assistant referees were among those identified as having placed bets.

Hacıosmanoğlu explained the scale of the problem:

“Among them, ten referees placed over ten thousand individual bets. One referee alone was recorded making 18,227 separate wagers. In total, 42 referees bet on more than one thousand football matches each, while a few only did so once.”

He emphasized that the disciplinary process had already begun:

“As of today, we are referring these individuals to the Disciplinary Committee in accordance with federation regulations. Under Law No. 6222 — the Turkish law addressing violence and irregularities in sports — there is a five-year statute of limitations. The same limitation applies to our federation’s regulations, meaning all cases within that period will be processed.”

The TFF confirmed that it would also review the personal and financial connections of the involved referees to determine whether any conflict of interest or match-fixing indicators were present. The findings, once complete, may be forwarded to the public prosecutor’s office for criminal investigation.

TFF Calls on Clubs to Take Responsibility: “We Cleaned Our Own House — Now It’s Your Turn”

While the scandal primarily focused on referees, President Hacıosmanoğlu urged football clubs, players, and managers to carry out their own internal checks.

He declared:

“Just as we, the Federation, have cleaned our doorstep, our esteemed clubs must do the same. Every member of the football family — from management to players — should review and disclose their own structures. Otherwise, we will continue our cooperation with state authorities and share the results with the public.”

This statement signals that the investigation could soon expand beyond referees to other actors within Turkish football, including players and officials. TFF officials confirmed that the federation had shared its findings with both FIFA and UEFA, aligning its disciplinary approach with international standards.

Hacıosmanoğlu added:

“Even though the rules are clear, the fact that some referees opened betting accounts in their own names and actively gambled has deeply saddened us.”

The remarks underscored the emotional and institutional gravity of the scandal, suggesting that the federation views this not merely as a disciplinary issue but as a turning point for the sport’s credibility in Turkey.

Journalist Tahir Kum’s Claim: The Betting Problem Extends Beyond Referees

Sports journalist Tahir Kum claimed on social media that the Turkish Football Federation’s investigation is not limited to referees but also involves club executives, technical staff, and players.
He shared striking data allegedly obtained during the federation’s one-month inquiry:

“The TFF has been investigating who holds betting accounts and how many times they have placed bets.
A club president who placed 3,057 bets and profited 476 times…
A masseur who bet 2,399 times and won 329 times…
A player who placed 1,950 bets and won 340 times…
And a player-coach who placed 15,987 bets, earning 3,138 wins.”

These figures suggest that the betting issue may reach far beyond the refereeing community, potentially implicating multiple levels of Turkish football. If verified, the TFF’s disciplinary efforts could soon expand to include club managements, players, and technical staff, marking a broader phase in the federation’s cleanup operation.

TFF’s Request: Referee-Related “Side Bets” May Be Removed — But Is It Enough?

According to journalist Tahir Kum, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has asked the state betting operator Spor Toto and the national betting platform İddaa to remove specific “side bet” categories tied to referee decisions — such as total yellow/red cards or whether the referee goes to VAR (Video Assistant Referee). The intention behind this request is to reduce speculation around refereeing decisions and prevent betting-driven manipulation narratives from spreading further.

However, experts warn that such a step alone is unlikely to solve the problem. Even if these betting options are removed from official and licensed platforms, illegal and offshore betting sites continue to offer similar wagers, limiting the overall effectiveness of the ban. As a result, the connection between referees and betting activity cannot be fully eliminated through restrictions alone.

While the TFF’s move is considered a symbolic step toward ethical reform, analysts emphasize the need for a comprehensive integrity strategy. This would include tighter regulation, enhanced financial tracking, stronger cooperation with international bodies, and renewed referee education programs focusing on ethics and transparency. Without such systemic action, banning specific bet types risks being little more than a cosmetic measure.

Nature of the Bets Remains Unclear as Investigation Deepens

The federation did not disclose details about which matches or types of bets were involved, leaving key questions unanswered. According to sources familiar with the investigation, the current analysis is based primarily on account records, transaction frequencies, and time patterns, rather than the specific nature of wagers.

This means it is not yet known whether the referees placed bets on matches they officiated, on other domestic games, or on foreign competitions. At this stage, the inquiry aims to determine the scope of ethical violations rather than quantify financial gain or manipulation risk.

TFF officials have emphasized that the disciplinary review is still in progress and that each case will be evaluated individually once the full digital and financial data are verified. The federation has also stated that all findings will be shared with the relevant judicial authorities and with FIFA and UEFA once the investigation concludes.

A Deep Shock to Turkish Football

The revelations have sent shockwaves throughout the Turkish football community. For the first time, the country’s governing body has publicly acknowledged systemic betting activity within its officiating ranks.

The TFF described the situation as a “wake-up call” and a critical step toward restoring trust and transparency in Turkish football. Analysts expect the scandal to trigger major reforms — including stricter screening mechanisms for referees, enhanced financial monitoring, and potentially, the restructuring of Turkey’s referee training system.

The investigation marks not just a disciplinary crackdown but a pivotal moment for the sport’s integrity. As Hacıosmanoğlu concluded, the process “has only just begun,” and the Turkish football establishment may never look the same again.