Official language: Turkish
Population: 71,517,100
Currency: Turkish Lira (TRY)

Current Exchange Rate
1 EUR = 2.2131 TRY
1 GBP = 2.4699 TRY
1 USD = 1.4948 TRY

Poker in Turkey
Poker has a big following in Turkey, but Turkish gambling laws have been in flux during the past few decades, so it's never certain if there will be a game available. Casino gambling was illegal for many years because Turkey is an Islamic nation, and under Islamic law as stated in the Koran, gambling is not allowed. In the early 1980s casinos were legalized, but then in the mid 1990s they were made illegal once again, and nearly 80 casinos in Turkey were shut down. Along with those casinos went most of the legal poker venues in Turkey. Today, the game can still be played in some venues, but technically it's against the law, so these games can be difficult to find, and risky to join. Despite the ban, poker in Turkey remains popular.

Online Poker in Turkey
Online poker in Turkey is a good way for players to enjoy real-money poker games and tournaments. The Turkish government does not want players gambling online, and has taken measures similar to those in the US to prevent online gambling, including blocking transfers from Turkish banks to online poker sites. The measures are not very effective though, and players who really want to play online poker will always find a way. These online poker sites are hosted in foreign countries so the Turkish government cannot shut them down, and cannot prevent the sites from offering their services to Turkish players. All in all, these foreign online poker rooms are the best way to play poker in Turkey.