On 4 March 2026, the “Law Proposal on Amendments to the Social Services Law and Certain Other Laws” (“Law Proposal”) was submitted to the Presidency of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye. The proposal envisaged amendments to several laws, including Law No. 5651 on the Regulation of Publications on the Internet and Combating Crimes Committed through Such Publications.
You can access our article regarding the Law Proposal at the following link: https://pekin.com.tr/2026/03/24/oyun-sektoru-icin-yeni-duzenlemeler-kanun-teklifi-tbmmye-sunuldu/
Although the Law Proposal, in its initial form as submitted, aimed to introduce comprehensive obligations for the gaming sector, it underwent significant changes during the committee process at the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye and was adopted in its amended form. The legislative amendment was published in the Official Gazette dated 1 May 2026.
The main changes in the adopted version of the law are summarized below.
- Amendments to definitions: The concepts of “game developer” and “game platform,” which were not included in the original Law Proposal, have been introduced in the definitions section, while the concept of “game provider” has been removed. Accordingly:
- A game developer refers to “natural or legal persons who design digital games or game content, develop their software, or manage the development process.”
- A game platform refers to “natural or legal persons that provide software or technical infrastructure via the internet for the display, sale, distribution, downloading, or playing of digital games and related additional content; and that enable or coordinate users’ access to games or content, license management, or interaction between users.”
- Reduction in sanctions: In the Law Proposal, it was envisaged that, if a game distributor failed to fulfill its obligations despite an administrative fine imposed for a second time, an application could be made to the Criminal Court of Peace to reduce its internet traffic bandwidth by fifty percent initially and then by ninety percent. In the enacted version of the law, however, these rates have been set for game platforms at thirty percent initially and up to a maximum of fifty percent thereafter.
- Age verification: The provision imposing age verification obligations on game providers has been removed. As in the Law Proposal, age verification has been regulated as an obligation of social network providers. In addition, it has been stipulated that game platforms may not offer games that are not duly rated; however, they may offer unrated games provided that such games are classified according to the highest age rating criterion.
- Limitation of the Authority’s powers: Under the Law Proposal, the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (“Authority”) would have been able to request from game providers and game distributors “any and all explanations, including those related to corporate structure, information systems, algorithms, data processing mechanisms, and commercial practices.” In the enacted version, however, the information that the Authority may request from game platforms has been limited to “explanations directly related to the implementation of this Law, including corporate structure, information systems, and data processing mechanisms.”
The provisions regarding definitions entered into force on 1 May 2026, while the other provisions will enter into force on 1 November 2026.
