Turkish authorities detained 10 social media influencers on Thursday in an operation targeting online broadcasts that allegedly promote gambling.
The İstanbul-based investigation, led by the cyber crimes department and coordinated by the chief public prosecutor’s office, focused on livestreamers with large followings on platforms including Twitch, YouTube and TikTok.
Officials say the influencers encouraged gambling in their broadcasts by using the online platform Key Drop, a popular website associated with gaming communities.
Authorities allege the influencers’ broadcasts constituted promotion of gambling and resulted in unjust financial gain, though they have not publicly detailed the specific content or financial scope of the alleged offenses.
The detentions come amid heightened scrutiny of digital creators in Turkey, where the government has expanded its online monitoring capabilities and broadened the interpretation of laws related to cybercrime, morality and public order.
Five individuals named in the investigation were not detained because they are currently outside the country.
Two more were reported to be outside İstanbul during the raids, while one suspect remains at large.
All 10 detainees have been referred to the İstanbul prosecutor’s office for further questioning.
Turkey maintains strict restrictions on gambling, and online content that is perceived to encourage it can trigger criminal investigations, particularly when connected to young audiences.
Rights groups and digital freedom advocates have raised concerns in recent years about the growing use of cybercrime laws to target online expression, including satire, gaming content and influencer culture.