The meeting, held at the PAU Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Yılmaz Congress and Culture Center Conference Hall, was attended by Former Chief Ombudsman Şeref Malkoç, HUDER President Av. Hasan Oymak, HUDER Denizli Branch President Av. Fatih Altuntaş, PAU Rector Prof. Dr. Mahmud Güngör, Denizli Chief Public Prosecutor Ahmet Ataman, Deputy Governor Adnan Kayık, AK Party Deputy Chair and Head of Economic Affairs Nihat Zeybekci, lawyers, bureaucrats, law enforcement officers, academics, students, and a large number of citizens.

The opening program continued with speeches by HUDER Denizli Branch President Av. Fatih Altuntaş and HUDER President Av. Hasan Oymak, followed by speeches from Rector Prof. Dr. Mahmud Güngör, Deputy Governor Adnan Kayık, and Nihat Zeybekci.

In his speech, Fatih Altuntaş stated that they were honored to host the Denizli leg of the project and emphasized that they would continue this struggle resolutely at the local level. Av. Hasan Oymak stated that online betting and gambling addiction has reached a level that seriously threatens family structures.

Oymak emphasized that online betting addiction is no longer merely an individual financial loss or personal weakness; it has become a social crisis that destroys households, pushes younger generations into darkness, and threatens the future.

In his opening speech, Rector Prof. Dr. Mahmud Güngör stated that the “online betting scourge” threatens family structure at rates reaching up to 40%, emphasizing that no one should become complacent thinking “it will not affect my family,” and called for the preservation of the family institution in order to prevent social collapse and protect the future.

Deputy Governor Adnan Kayık stated that these traps, which are presented as harmless entertainment with the hope of quick gains, over time turn into a major threat causing economic and social destruction that undermines families. He noted that online betting and gambling have become important threats targeting not only individuals but also family peace, young people’s dreams, and the future of society.

Nihat Zeybekci stated in his speech that online betting and gambling in Türkiye is a serious problem affecting approximately 20 million people. He emphasized that individuals caught in this addiction may sacrifice everything, and called for a comprehensive struggle, highlighting the need to strengthen family bonds, increase young people’s engagement in real life, and introduce new regulations such as restrictions on money transfers after 6 p.m. by state institutions and the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA).

In the panel moderated by former Chief Ombudsman Şeref Malkoç, Psychologist and Social Uyum Department Head of the Ministry of Family and Social Services Nevzat Özer delivered a presentation titled “Addiction and Family,” while Ministry of Youth and Sports Youth Services Director Dr. Hasan Sarı spoke on “How Can We Protect Our Youth from Online Betting?” Denizli Chief Public Prosecutor Muharrem Mert Tornacı presented on “Gambling and Betting Crimes Practices,” and Denizli Provincial Police Department Cyber Crimes Branch personnel Niyazi Yılmaz spoke on “Combating Cyber Crimes.” The experts addressed online betting addiction in its legal, psychological, sociological, and economic dimensions through comprehensive presentations. In the final part of the panel, participants’ questions were answered in a Q&A session.

The program concluded after commemorative gifts were presented to the speakers and protocol members contributing to the project and panel, followed by a group photograph.