In Turkey, an investigation is underway into a 5.5 million lira bet placed in Northern Cyprus

A new scandal over illegal betting related to football matches has erupted in Turkey. The Istanbul Prosecutor General's Office has launched an official investigation following a statement by the leader of the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), Özgür Özel, regarding a 5.5-million-Turkish-lira bet placed in Cyprus on a match with a red card outcome.

According to the politician, one of the participants from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus placed a large sum specifically on the match where a controversial red card was eventually shown. Özel emphasized that this was not a random bet but a potentially organized scheme linked to corruption within football structures.

After his statement, the prosecution accepted the complaint and began gathering evidence. As part of the case, betting companies, their online platforms, and possible connections with football officials and referees will be examined.

The scandal comes amid an ongoing investigation by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), which found that out of 571 football officials, 371 had betting accounts and 152 actively placed bets. Among them were Super League and First League referees as well as assistant referees.

The investigation is now considering the possibility that part of the illegal betting was conducted through servers or branches of betting companies operating in Northern Cyprus. Experts warn that if the information is confirmed, this could become the largest corruption case in the history of Turkish football.