New Galatasaray signing Yaser Asprilla and his Colombian compatriot Dávinson Sánchez have arrived in Turkey at a tense moment for the country’s football ecosystem, as prosecutors intensify action against illegal betting networks.
The Turkish Prosecutor’s Office has issued arrest warrants for 72 individuals accused of participating in illegal sports betting activities that allegedly generated €66m ($78m) in revenue.
While earlier phases of the probe focused primarily on football professionals participating in legal betting activities, prohibited under federation rules, recent investigations have shifted towards organized illegal betting networks.
The Colombian footballers are among the named witnesses of the case, as authorities continue to pursue one of the country’s largest illegal betting investigations, which remains ongoing.
Global match-fixing trends: Declining numbers, persistent risks
Although integrity monitoring data indicates that global match-fixing cases declined further in 2025, the issue remains far from resolved around the world.
In Israel, police arrested 17 individuals in connection with an alleged match-fixing and illegal betting scheme targeting lower-division football.
China imposed lifetime bans on 73 individuals following a sweeping match-fixing investigation, marking one of the most severe disciplinary responses in recent years. Authorities targeted players, officials and intermediaries involved in coordinated manipulation schemes.
In Brazil, prosecutors charged different footballers over alleged involvement in match-fixing tied to betting activities, with Bruno Henrique being one of the most notable cases. Brazil has also established a federal task force dedicated to combating match-fixing and betting-related fraud.
Argentinian authorities also suspended an amateur futsal match after identifying suspicious betting patterns linked to illegal wagering. The case underlined how integrity concerns are not limited to professional tiers.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has recently suspended 1,024 players as part of an investigation into betting and match-fixing
