Turkey is preparing new legislation that will impose broad oversight and sizable penalties on digital gaming platforms, introducing strict requirements that could affect all major online game distributors operating in the country, the Cumhuriyet daily reported.
A bill drafted by the Ministry of Family and Social Services is expected to be brought to parliament in the coming weeks. While the proposal primarily focuses on restricting social media use for children under 15, it also directly targets online gaming marketplaces and foreign-based platforms widely used in Turkey such as Steam, Epic and PlayStation.
If adopted, the law will require large international game distribution platforms to appoint official representatives in Turkey. Those that fail to comply would face escalating sanctions, beginning with fines ranging from 1 million ($23,000) to 30 million Turkish lira ($690,000).
The draft also introduces the possibility of bandwidth throttling, with authorities able to reduce access speeds by 50 percent and eventually up to 90 percent. Such a restriction would effectively make a platform nearly unusable for users in Turkey.
Turkey’s gaming industry has expanded into a major market over the years, with tens of millions of people regularly playing games on their phones, computers and consoles.
For the first time, the legislation will formally define “game providers” and “game distributors.” Companies that produce games will fall under the provider category, while platforms that distribute them to users — including online stores, subscription services and console marketplaces — will be classified as distributors.
Under the proposed legislation, distributors will bear broad responsibility for ensuring that games are properly rated according to age criteria before being offered in Turkey.
Games that do not meet classification requirements will not be permitted for Turkish users and content deemed noncompliant will have to be removed.
Government officials claim that the requirement to appoint a representative in Turkey is aimed at strengthening oversight of digital game content, protecting children from harmful material and creating a direct legal counterpart for judicial and administrative processes.
The bill says the measure will speed up content removals and access bans while making it easier for prosecutors and courts to obtain data from platforms.
Another stated goal is increased financial scrutiny of the digital gaming market, enabling authorities to monitor revenue more closely and subject gaming companies to stronger tax and regulatory oversight in Turkey.
Critics, however, raise concerns that the proposal could expand censorship and deepen state control over online platforms used by millions of gamers across the country.
A 2023 study by Gaming in Turkey found that more than 47 million people in the country play games across mobile, PC and console platforms, helping generate nearly $580 million in revenue.
Mobile gaming accounts for the largest share, with an estimated 44 million users. PC gaming is also widespread, with about 20 million people using computer-based platforms such as Steam and the Epic Games Store, while console gaming reaches roughly 11 million users.
Steam, Epic Games Store, EA App, Ubisoft Connect and Xbox rank among the most popular platforms used by gamers in Turkey.
Turkey has already introduced sweeping internet regulations over the past decade, granting authorities broad powers to demand content removals, restrict access and require social media companies to appoint legal representatives in the country.
Press freedom advocates, however, have long warned that such measures are often used not only to address crime or protect minors but also to tighten government control over online speech.
Over the past years, Turkish courts have temporarily blocked access to social media sites, including Instagram, Facebook, X and Wikipedia in addition to video-gaming platform Roblox and streaming sites Kick and Twitch.
The bans are part of a broader trend of increasing scrutiny and regulation of online platforms by Turkish authorities.
The government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been regularly accused of suppressing freedom of expression and information, with Turkey ranking among the “not free” countries in terms of internet freedom, according to Freedom House.