Turkish authorities utilized an AI-assisted system to identify illegal gambling networks operating via the Telegram platform, subsequently launching coordinated raids across 39 provinces nationwide.
During the operation on November 3, police targeted 194 suspects, 169 of whom were taken into custody. Following this, prosecutors ordered 121 suspects to be held in pre-trial detention; 45 were released under judicial supervision, and three were released unconditionally.
The investigation was led by the Organized Crime Investigation Bureau under the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. Authorities employed a system called “AVCI” (meaning “Hunter” in Turkish), designed to identify groups suspected of organizing unauthorized gambling activities through instant messaging platforms.
The Financial Crimes Investigation Board of Turkey (MASAK) also examined financial activities linked to these suspects, uncovering a high volume of transactions.
AVCI tracks activity within Telegram groups.
Developed by the Istanbul Police, AVCI is an open-source intelligence (OSINT) analysis system designed for digital investigations.
The technology leverages natural language processing (NLP) capabilities to interpret coded language, slang, and combinations of emojis. It can also analyze photos and videos, link accounts across different identities, and map out the connections between members of suspected criminal groups.
Furthermore, the system includes a feature that allows investigators to recover and preserve chat history from instant messaging groups, even if the messages have been deleted by the users.
According to reports, AVCI identified 306,000 messages—potentially serving as evidence—across 47 different groups during the investigation.
Authorities also identified a 21-year-old software developer believed to be one of the organizers of the network; he used the alias “Michael Carroll”—the name of a British lottery winner—on Telegram. Before conducting searches and seizures at residences and workplaces across the country, investigators cross-referenced the results of digital analysis with reviews of financial transactions carried out by MASAK (the Financial Crimes Investigation Board).
AI-driven analysis has been employed in previous investigations as well.
The AVCI system was previously utilized during an investigation into another major gambling case earlier in 2026.
In May 2026, police leveraged the system to examine approximately 600,000 pieces of information during an operation that spanned 35 provinces, ultimately leading to 108 arrests.
Authorities also scrutinized financial activities suspected to be linked to gambling, seizing mobile phones, SIM cards, laptops, and other electronic devices during the searches. The case in November followed this established law enforcement pattern: analyzing digital communications and financial records to identify illicit gambling networks, followed by coordinated raids.
Unauthorized online gambling is prohibited in Turkey. Recent investigations have focused on operators who use instant messaging applications to promote gambling and facilitate the settlement of funds.
121 suspects remanded in custody
According to Haberler.com, the raids in November covered Istanbul as well as dozens of other provinces—including Ankara, Antalya, Izmir, Bursa, and Gaziantep—extending across various regions in both eastern and western Turkey.
Of the 169 individuals detained, the court ordered 121 to be remanded in custody pending trial; 45 were released under judicial supervision, while 3 were released unconditionally by the prosecutor’s office.
This operation demonstrates that Turkish authorities are applying AI-assisted analysis to investigations into illegal gambling—particularly in cases where those involved communicate via closed online groups and utilize false identities.
There is no indication that this large-scale investigation has concluded. Authorities have confirmed the outcomes of the detentions and disclosed the scale of the digital and financial evidence involved in the case.
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