Version: 25102005
Editor: Franka Pals
Publisher: Novamedia / Paul Robert
Disclaimer: Novamedia disclaims all liability for information provided within the "Novamedia European Gaming and Lottery Files".The information is supplied by independent journalistic sources. No parts of these files may be reproduced in any form by print, photo print, microfilm or otherwise, or re-distributed electronically in any form without written permission from the publisher.
Turkey, where Europe and Asia meet, even in the country itself, is located at a point where the three continents making up the old world. Asia, Africa and Europe are here closest to each other. Turkey's neighbours are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Iraq and Syria. In Turkey there are more ancient Greek settlements than in Greece and more Roman towns than in Italy.
Because of its geographical location the mainland of Anatolia has always found favour throughout history and is the birthplace of many great civilisations. It has also been prominent as a centre of commerce because of its land connections to the three continents and the sea surrounding it on three sides: the Black Sea in the north, the Mediterranean in the south and the Aegean Sea in the west. In the northwest there is also an important internal sea, the Sea of Marmara, between the straits of the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus, important waterways that connect the Black Sea with the rest of the world. Ankara is the capital where the republican parliamentary democracy is governing and Istanbul is the dynamic economic centre (with over 15 million habitants).
The founder of the Turkish Republic and its first President, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938) is one of the great leaders of history. Few have achieved so much in so short period. He transformed the nation decisively and gave profound inspiration to the Turks and the world at large.
Emerging as a military hero at the Dardanelles in 1915 Atatürk became the charismatic leader of the Turkish national liberation struggle in 1919. He blazed across the world scene in the early 1920s as a triumphant commander who crushed the invaders of his country. Following a series of impressive victories against all odds he led his nation to full independence. He put an end to the antiquated Ottoman dynasty whose rule had lasted more than six centuries and created the Republic of Turkey in 1923 establishing a new government truly representative of the nation's will.
As President for 15 years until his death in 1938 Mustafa Kemal Atatürk introduced a broad range of swift and sweeping reforms in the political, social, legal, economic and cultural spheres including the transition from the Arab script to the latin script which was essential to benefit from western cultures. This is virtually unparalleled in any other country.
Turkey's population of close to 69 million and is young and growing, it has the largest landmass in Western Europe and its economy is the 16th largest in the world. The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has identified Turkey as one of the ten most promising emerging economies and a recent World Bank study also declared Turkey one of the ten countries most likely to enter the top tier of the world economy.
In the early 1980's Turkey implemented a series of important economic reforms aimed at liberalizing the Turkish economy and integrating it into the global economy. The main components of this economic reform were reducing government intervention, implementing a flexible exchange rate policy, liberalizing import regulations, increasing exports, encouraging foreign capital investment, establishing free trade zones, deregulating financial markets, privatizing State Economic Enterprises and decentralizing government activities. As a result of economic reforms based on free market principles and an international orientation the Turkish economy has experienced an average growth rate of almost 5 percent over the past 20 years, a record among OECD countries.
One of the major developments in the Turkish financial sector was the establishment of the Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE) in 1986. Stock and bond markets are completely open to foreign investors with no restriction on the repatriation of capital and profit. As a result foreign investors' equity portfolio holdings have made up more than 50 percent of the free float in recent years. In 1999 the ISE was the best-performing stock exchange in the world.
Two economic crises in a row
The first crisis in 1994 was clearly the mismanagement of the -then- Prime Minister Mrs. Ciller. She wanted to lower the interest rates. She cancelled auctions. The Central Bank extended huge amounts of credit to the government because she was trying to lower the interest rates and eventually the exchange rate just blew up. The IMF jumped in and had to put his hand even deeper in his pocket.
In February 2001 another economic crisis hit Turkey after a deliberate affront by state President Sezer against the head of government, Bülent Ecevit, in the National Security Council - an organ of state predominantly in the hands of the Turkish military. Sezer accused Ecevit of failing in the fight against corruption. At that occasion The President of the Republic Mr. Sezer threw a copy of Turkey's Constitutional Law to Mr Ecevit. The scandal was widely spread in the media. The initial consequence was a collapse of the Turkish stock market and then after the floating of the Turkish Lira a devaluation of 40 percent in the value of the currency and real wages. Since then the economy has collapsed.
In May 2001 Turkey introduced a tight recovery program with a multi-billion-dollar aid package from the IMF and the World Bank. However, the fallout from the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US led Turkey to apply for further international assistance. In December 2001 the IMF announced that it had agreed in principle to support Turkey's three-year economic program with a new stand-by credit facility. Turkey has become the IMF's largest borrower with the approval on February 4th, 2002 of its latest support program. There were few surprises in the latest package that involves a three-year, about US$16bn stand-by credit to support the government's economic program for 2002-2004. The 'arrangeur' of all that money was Mr. Kemal Dervis who used to be the number two in the organization of the IMF but left his comfortable post to get the uncertain position as Minister of State responsible for the reconstruction of the country's economy. So far with great success.
Paul Taylor, the head of international rating agency Fitch, said April 11th, 2002 that Turkey's outlook had improved with the government's ongoing implementation of its economic program.
In 1945 Turkey joined the UN and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. Turkey occupied the northern part of Cyprus in 1974 claiming it wanted to prevent a complete Greek takeover of the island. The continued division of Cyprus is one of the issues that delays acceptance of Turkey (and Cyprus) as an EU-member. Direct and face-to-face negotiations are going on between Cypriot president Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.
| Population: | 68,893,918 (July 2004 est.) |
|---|---|
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 26.6% (male 9,328,108; female 8,990,742) |
| Currency: | Turkish Lira (TRL) |
| GPD | purchasing power parity - $455.3 billion (2003 est.) real growth rate: 5% (2003 est.) per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,700 (2003 est.) |
| Mobile Phones | 29.500.000 in 2004 meaning a 43 % penetration. |
| Internet | 5,500,000 users as of Dec ember 2003, which was a7.3% penetration |
| Lottery Sales: | About $7 was spent per capita on lottery games in 1999 |
The National Lottery Authority (= Milli Piyango), attached to the Office of the Prime Minister, is the sole body in Turkey authorized to organize lotteries in Turkey with pecuniary prizes (money prizes). It is also the licensing body for third parties running lotteries with non-pecuniary prizes, which are further subject to monitoring and supervision by the Authority. The exclusive right of the National Lottery to run lotteries with pecuniary prizes, however, is contingent in law upon exceptions created by special legislation. The National Lottery had its functions redefined by Law-decree 320 in 1986, which was made possible through special laws the assignment of other agencies and activities as beneficiaries of allotments from its revenues. Under the same law-decree the National Lottery is also entitled to create and organize, on its own behalf, pari-mutuels and games of chance other than those with pecuniary prizes. It is furthermore authorized, subject to the permission of the Prime Minister, to organize lotteries abroad with prizes payable in Turkish Lira or foreign currencies and to enter into partnerships within or outside the country with national or foreign bodies having an interest in its fields of activity.
Milli Piyango also operates in Kyrgyzstan. Land-locked Kyrgyzstan is a former Soviet republic bordering with China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Website: www.millipiyango.gov.tr
The origin of the word 'piyango' is coming from Italy. In certain regions in Italy there was a lottery that was played with white and black cards which was called 'Piyango'. Now the word 'piyango' exists in the Turkish language only.
During the Ottoman empire in 1889 a lottery was organized with a prize of 15,500 Kurus (cents) which was followed in 1890 by a Piyango with a main prize of 7,100 Lira and a ticket cost 2.4 Lira.
The first organized lottery in Turkey was 'operated' by "Donanma Cemiyeti' (Main Foundation) to raise money for that foundation. After the success of this 'Piyango' there was a follow-up by a lottery with numbers on government bonds promoting the sales of these bonds.
In more modern times, in 1951, a special Piyango was organized to raise money for immigrants coming from Bulgaria called the 'Immigrant Piyango'.
In the young Turkish Republic the first lottery legalized by Law number 710, January 9th, 1926 was aimed to support the Turkish Air force and the 'Turkish Air force Foundation' was authorized to operate it. For many years Piyango was in the hands of this foundation. But due to difficulties in distribution and sales the foundation stayed far behind its targets. A nationwide distribution and sales system was needed. So, on July 5th,
1939, with Law number 3670 'Milli Piyango Organization' (Milli = State) was established with the aim to support the air force. The ministry of Finance became responsible. The first draw by this new organization was held on November 11th, 1939 and one could buy a ticket for 1 Lira. The sole beneficiary was still the Turkish Air force.
From November 7th, 1985 with Law number 3238 there was another change and the 'complete defence industry' became the beneficiary. From June 6th, 1988 another special Law came into power and the present 'Milli Piyango organization L:' came into existence. Again there was an alteration by Law number 4108, May 25th, 1995, and from July 31st, 1996 Milli Piyango came under the responsibility of the Prime Ministry, instead of the Ministry of Finance. Law number 3046, January 13th, 1999 gave the responsibility again in the hands of the Ministry of Finance. And by using the same law, 3046, the Prime Ministry became accountable once again from May 28th, 1999! And that is still the case.
The central organization, in Ankara, consists of Information, Inspection and Main Services. Furthermore in 24 cities 29 branches (Service Points) have been established.
The executive board consists of:
This Board is entitled to give out licenses and inspects all lottery activities in Turkey. The organization is a juridical entity with a private budget and is subject to the special laws and falls under the inspection of 'Basbakanlik Yüksek Denetleme Kurulu' (Higher Inspection Organ of Prime Ministry) and the TBMM (Turkish Parliament House).
Piyango
Milli Piyango is a plain lottery with draws on every 9th, 19th and 29th of each month. Extra lotteries may also be organized on other days and dates, for instance the New Year Lottery on December 31st. After one year the lottery ticket expires
Hemen - Kazan
Hemen - Kazan (Win Now) is a simple scratch card lottery
Labirent
Labirent (Labyrinth) is a 'game-on-card' content scratch card. The Piyango street vendor who you may run into at the street corner gets a packet of 500 cards including winning tickets:
Those winning tickets can also be paid by the street seller. For higher prizes one has to go to a Milli Piyango Service Point
Sayisal Loto
Sayisal Loto (Number Lotto) is a turning sphere draw with balls with numbers from 1 - 49. The correct numbers 3, 4, 5 or 6 win prizes. Draw is once a week on Saturday evening and is a part of a spectacular TV entertainment show on the TRT State Television between 9.00 and 10.30 p.m. When no one has six correct numbers then that amount will be added to the draw of next week. This may happen three times in a row. If the fourth draw is again without a winner with six correct balls then that prize money will be added and divided to the winners with five correct numbers
Sans Topu
Sans Topu (chance ball) is a 5+1 game with a two set spheres. In one sphere are the numbers 1 -34 (5 balls are drawn from that sphere) and from the other sphere containing balls with the numbers 1 - 14 one ball will be drawn. The chance of winning is 1/3,895,584 Winning prize groups are: (5+1), (5), (4+1), (4), (3+1), (3), (2+1) and (1+1). Every Wednesday night Sans Topu draw is taken place in a live entertainment program, broadcast by TRT, the State Broadcaster.
In 2000 8,691 vendors were selling Piyango and scratch cards and Sayisal Loto was sold by 3,947 sales outlets
According to Law number 320 Milli Piango's mission exists of three main groups:
|
1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net revenues (USD million) | 327 | 396 | 396 | 271 | 355 | 501 |
| VAT | 90.1 | |||||
| Tax & Funds | 7.4 | |||||
| Treasury sec | 1.4 | |||||
| Treasury inclusive | 55.6 | 65.9 | 73.4 | 50.1 | 72.6 | 98.9 |
| Education support | 37.8 | 62.5 | 48.4 | 21.6 | 21.7 | 33.5 |
| Special Tax | 5.4 | 48.4 | 43.2 | 63.1 | ||
| Gross Revenue | 420 | 529 | 567 | 385 | 705 | |
| (Net revenues + Treasury Tax incl. Education support & Special Tax) | ||||||
| Exchange rates USD - TRL | 256,051 | 420,362 | 624,530 | 1,239,384 | 1,541,838 | 1,529,237 |
| Gross revenues | 110 | 223 | 354 | 478 | 790 | 1,078 |
| Growth | 102 | 59 | 35 | 65 | 36 | |
| Inflation | 85 | 64 | 55 | 54 | 45 | 25 |
| This is data sampled from various sources. | ||||||
The Milli Piyango Organisation donates an important percentage (10%) of the 'Advertising Budget (!) to several good causes as education, sports, arts, culture.
Since 1990 eleven Anadolu Lisesi (special high schools) throughout Turkey have been established and financed. Free lottery tickets are given to blood donors. Congresses on the environment are sponsored as well as a successful handball team
Website: www.sportoto.gov.tr
In 1949 the general manager of the government's Physical Education Department, Mr Vildan Asit Savasir, introduced in Turkey the idea of starting a Sport Toto. He gathered all the necessary information from the Swedish Sport Toto and together with the Head of the Turkish Football Federation, mr. Ulvi Yenal, he established the Turkish Sport Toto Federation. The successors of Mr. Vildan Asit Savasir, however, were not so enthusiastic to operate a sports toto since they thought it was 'collective gambling'. The opponents of the sports toto used the argument "when it is played in all civilized countries, why they don't have a Sporttoto in France?"
It took ten more years before Bill number 7258 on "Collective Betting in Football Competitions" was accepted in April 29th, 1959 by the Turkish Parliament. And finally the Sport Toto was established under the name "Collective Betting in Football Competitions". The Sportoto organization started to look for a system that would be tailor made for future Turkish gaming players. Finally a German toto system was chosen and the operations could start. In February 9th, 1960 there was a governments' decision nr: 4/ 12702 that legalized the operation of the Turkish Sportoto. To create sales points the agreement was concluded with the Turkish Emlak Kredi Bankasi. At the start players could only participate in the three biggest Turkish cities Ankara, Istanbul an Izmir. The beneficiary was the Ministry of Sports
1. Süper Toto
Süper Toto is based on making a correct prognostication on the score:
One column exists of 15 matches. Prize-winners are the players who prognosticate 15, 14, 13 and 12 matches correctly. Süper Toto can also be played as a system. Playing one column costs 200,000TRL
2. Skor Toto
Skor Toto is a prognostication on the scoring result of three fixed matches where one can fill in as result for a team the scorer 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, + (is six or more). Skor Toto may be played as a system as well. Under the betting slip column one can fill in a playing possibility to multiply the betting up to 2, 5, 10, 15, 50, 75 and 100 times. The stake has to be multiplied accordingly as well. Playing one column without multiplier costs 150,000 TRL.
| Income products | 2000 | (1999) |
|---|---|---|
| Sportoto | 2.452.504.485.000 | (1.996.419.510.000) |
| Skortoto | 1.922.429.750.000 | (1.311.102.000.000) |
| Supergoal* | 1.509.244.075.000 | (1.567.352.645.000) |
| Total | 6,019,401,375,000 |
*The Supergoal product has not been sold from the 2001-2002 season.
Website: www.tjk.org
The Turkish equestrian world passed through many phases both before and after the foundation of the Turkish Republic in 1923. Races had been organized primarily in Izmir, then in Istanbul, Ankara, Samsun, Urfa and Bursa. First foreigners, then private individuals and later still the Horse Owners' Association were responsible for the administration of the races whose contributions to horseracing and horse breeding in Turkey we must duly acknowledge. Still, a relative chaos reigned in the organization of the races during the first years of the Turkish republic.
People who generated ideas about the development of horse races had the opportunity to implement their ideas in 1950. With the approval of the president and prime minister Mr. Fevzi Lütfi Karaosmanoglu of Izmir, a minister whose family had been riding horses for generations, founded the Jockey Club in November 1950.
On April 14, 1951 the first 'locale' was opened on Ziya Gökalp street in Ankara in a ceremony honored by the presence of president Celal Bayar. New members were signed on the same year and the number of members in the Board of Directors was increased from 5 to 7.
The Club was sanctioned by the Cabinet as a non-profit organisation and was given the name Turkish Jockey Club.
In July 1953 ordinance number 6132 took effect giving the Club authority to organize races for 20 years under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture. The Turkish Jockey Club organized its first race in September 1953 and rapidly launched several projects to improve breeding, training and infrastructure.
Since its inception the members of the board have strengthened the Club and played the most important role in making horse-racing a profitable industry and an income redistribution tool for the country. To sum up the most important accomplishments of the Club:
Today the club owns 20 well-known stallions among which are Doyoun (IRE), Mountain Cat (USA), Common Grounds (GB), Distant Relative (IRE), Manila (USA), etc
The most famous and prestigious of all Turkish races is Gazi Cup dedicated to Ataturk, founder of Turkish Republic. Presidency Cup and Prime Ministry Cup have great importance in Turkish equestrian history. Cup of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Parliament Cup, respectively, are the other two events closely followed by the public.
The most prestigious Horse Race in Türkiye Gazi Derby was held on July 24, 2001. Near 35 thousand horse racing fans filled the Istanbul Veliefendi Racecourse to watch the 75th Gazi Derby which was won by Grand Ekinoks.
In 2000 there were 344 racing days, the number of races - 1,341.
One of the major reasons that horseracing attracts so much attention is the pari-mutuel betting
The type and application of these bets can change in time. Pari-mutuel tickets are bought only from ticket windows operated by the racing organizations or from authorized dealers
No person/establishment can run a betting operation under any pretext by running a ticket window or accepting stakes in any way. Parimutuel betting is run under a formal program and checks are not accepted.
Types of bets:
| Legal deductions | 01.01.2002 - 10.03.2002 |
|---|---|
| Value Added Tax: | 28,131,942,749,492 |
| Defence industries support fund: | 15,628,857,083,051 |
| Olympic Fund: | 1,562,885,708,305 |
| Student highschool loans: | 5,328,016,190,958 |
| Turkey Promotion Fund | 4,832.252.570.000 |
| Municipality entertainment tax: | 6.507,300,844,000 |
| Red Cross in Turkey: | 21,171,275,904 |
| President Fund: | 21,171,275,904 |
| Establishment/institution share: | 26,029,203,376,000 |
| Distributing to race-betting | 96,357,712,506,387 |
| TOTAL | 184.420.513.580.000 |
| Additional share for education | 2,203,561,160,000 |
| Special operation tax | 6,610,683,480,000 |
VLT's are not allowed in Turkey
In 1983 the Turkish government granted permission to first-class holiday villages and five star hotels to open casinos on their properties. At the peak there were more than 80 casinos in Turkey in tourist facilities located in Antalya, Izmir, Istanbul and Ankara. In 1997 more than 14 billion US dollars were wagered in Turkey's casinos surpassing gambling income in many European countries.
Turkish parliament voted, however, on August 8, 1997 to close all casinos within six months. Even after the Islamic government was replaced by a secular, center-right administration the parliamentary vote to close them overrode a veto by the than President Suleyman Demirel. From mid-February 16, 1998 the government decree closing the casinos went into effect putting an estimated 20,000 people out of their jobs.
In 2002 the tourism sector in Turkey is lobbying to reopen casino's for foreigners only. There is even an initiative to start in the South-East of Turkey a casino-development project in the middle of nowhere á la Las Vegas. The Minister of Tourism Mustafa Tasaar was first backing the new casino initiatives, however, during a congress on tourism in Antalya on April 13th, 2002 he stated clearly that relaunching of the casino industry would be impossible.