Turkey has introduced court-ordered treatment and rehabilitation measures for children affected by gambling addiction under amendments published in the Official Gazette.
Law No. 7593 creates a series of child-specific security measures for children in judicial proceedings who are found not to have criminal responsibility. One measure covers gambling alongside other behavioural addictions that pose a danger to a child’s health.
Courts will be able to require affected children to complete programmes established by the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Family and Social Services and the Turkish Green Crescent Society, known as Yeşilay.
The legislation does not create a general treatment order for every child experiencing gambling harm. Its application is limited to children within the judicial system who lack criminal responsibility, including those aged between 12 and 15 who cannot understand the legal consequences of their actions or sufficiently control their behaviour.
Authorities may request assistance from law enforcement if resistance or practical difficulties arise while a measure is being implemented. The Ministry of Family and Social Services will coordinate participating institutions nationally, while governors and district governors will oversee delivery locally.
Implementation procedures remain subject to a regulation that will be issued by the Ministry of Family and Social Services. The law does not specify which gambling treatment programmes will be used, how children will be assessed for inclusion or the duration of rehabilitation.
Separate provisions establish digital-risk protection orders lasting between three months and two years. These may involve monitoring a child’s registered devices and restricting access to digital platforms considered risky. The legislation does not expressly state that every gambling-related case will result in digital monitoring.
The measure enters a market where most commercial gambling is prohibited, although state-authorised lotteries and sports betting remain available. Illegal online betting has consequently become a central focus of enforcement and public-health policy, with authorities increasingly linking access through digital platforms to gambling exposure among young people.
Turkey’s Parliament examined online betting as one of several digital risks facing children during its work on the legislation. The Government has also classified gambling and virtual betting alongside other forms of addiction in its wider prevention policy.
Turkey launched the Don’t Fall for a Trick campaign this month, warning users about unlicensed gambling operators and misleading promotions promising easy financial returns.
The wider law replaces the term “child driven to crime” with “child in the judicial process” across several statutes
