New Sports Betting Licenses in Turkey

Article by Rob van der Gaast

Istanbul, Turkey (January 21, 2010) – The Spor Toto Teskilat Mudurlugu (State Sports Betting Organization) has auctioned another three sports betting licenses, totaling 5 online operators. And 5 more licenses will be auctioned later.
Presently three players are operating actively on the online betting market in Turkey: 
- Bilyoner.com, co-owned by Çukurova Holding’s Demir Toprak and Greece’s Intralot (founded on 13 June, 2005):

  • Nesine.com, owned by the Dogan Group (founded 11 July 2006);
- Misli.com, entered the market some months ago and is an initiative of Misli Elektronik sans Oyunlan ve Yay AS:
  • Oley.com, part of the Doğuş Group, existing of Banking, Automotive, Construction, Media, Tourism, Real Estate and Energy. They will enter the market in April.
  • Tuttur.com, part of Saran Holding, also a group of companies with interests in energy, defense industry, health care, media, editing, tourism and Internet. And on top of that the group has strong activities in RTV broadcasting and production. They will start this May.

The interested party should hand out Revenue Warrant of USD 1,000.000 that should be deposited to the bank account of Spor Toto. In the case that the license has been granted: Contract Price of 150.000 TL (approximately USD 100.000) + Stamp Duty 100.000 TL (approximately USD 70,000). In a hundred page report, Rob van der Gaast and his research team, brought al the necessary in formation together concerning the forthcoming tenders, bidding processes, the new players, the markets, the competition, foreign company’s, joint venture possibilities, match making, etc. Company.

Mobile network operators

Turkey has 65.824 million subscribers in total, or an 89.05% penetration rate. (December 2008)

Development in the Turkish telecoms market is increasing with the ending of fixed-line operator Turk Telekom’s monopoly and the commencement of incumbent privatization. Upcoming negotiations with the EU will be a driver for further reform in the market. Customers are showing increased acceptance of new technologies as the broadband market has experienced phenomenal growth.

Rob van der Gaast


  • Has been working for more then 12 years in Turkey, as an independent group.
  • Is the single permanent gambling consultant in Turkey.
  • Works throughout Europe.
  • Was involved in the privatization of the Milli Piyango as a sub-contractor (Bench Marketing).

  • Guided an interested party in the sports betting tender and Milli Piyango privatization (da ma cai, Malaysia).

  • Prepared many tailor made Europe reports, two of them on:
    • 
Fixed Chance Betting Tender (68 pages).
 Privatization of the National Lottery – Milli Piyango (90 pages).
  • Wrote many articles concerning the Turkish online gambling scene in IGamingNews & LotteryInsider.

Rob van der Gaast made a start as sports writer in the Netherlands. After that he became Head of Sports of the Dutch National Radio (EBU-member) for 8 years. Than he started his own Sports Management & Marketing company: Pro Sport. He established in Sweden a company in Buying and Selling of TV sports rights. Afterwards he was developing ideas/formats for the entertainment industry. Furhermore he started as a consultant for the gambling and betting organizations. Rob van der Gaast is a member of the Primary Insight Expert Consulting Network, a wholly-owned subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase & Co.