LEGAL REFERENCE
Legal Regulations.
Laws, regulations, and policies relevant to the Turkish game industry, summarized for studio founders, developers, and legal teams.
17 regulations
- Data & Privacy2016 · Updated Mar 2024
Personal Data Protection Law (KVKK)
Kişisel Verilerin Korunması Kanunu
Türkiye's principal data protection statute, modelled on EU data protection norms. Requires lawful grounds for processing personal data, transparency to data subjects, VERBIS registration for most controllers, and specific safeguards for cross-border transfers. Directly affects analytics SDKs, player accounts, marketing, and any feature that collects personal data.
- Data Protection
- Privacy
- Compliance
- VERBIS
- Cross-Border Transfer
- Consent
- Data & Privacy2017 · Updated Apr 2019
Data Controllers Registry Regulation (VERBİS)
Veri Sorumluları Sicili Hakkında Yönetmelik
Sets the rules for registering data controllers in the public Data Controllers Registry (VERBİS), preparing a personal data processing inventory, and naming a contact person or representative. Reaches every studio that determines the purposes and means of personal data processing in Türkiye, with limited exemptions.
- Data Protection
- VERBİS
- Privacy
- Registry
- Compliance
- KVKK
- Gaming2007 · Updated Apr 2026
Gaming and Internet Content Law (Law 5651)
İnternet Ortamında Yapılan Yayınların Düzenlenmesi ve Bu Yayınlar Yoluyla İşlenen Suçlarla Mücadele Edilmesi Hakkında Kanun
Türkiye's internet content statute, expanded in 2026 with specific gaming definitions for game platforms, distributors, and developers. Imposes hosting provider, ISP, and social network obligations including traffic data retention, content takedown procedures, local representative requirements, and access blocking. Directly governs digital game stores, online game platforms, and studios with user-generated content.
- Gaming
- Internet Content
- Hosting
- Data Retention
- Takedown
- Social Networks
- IP & Copyright1951 · Updated Dec 2021
Law on Intellectual and Artistic Works (FSEK)
Fikir ve Sanat Eserleri Kanunu
Türkiye's principal copyright statute. Protects works of literature, science, music, fine arts, and cinema, including software and databases, and sets out moral and economic rights, licensing rules, collective management, anti-piracy bandrols, and criminal penalties. Relevant to studios building original code, art, music, and game design.
- Copyright
- IP
- Software
- Licensing
- Anti-Piracy
- Incentives & Grants2001 · Updated Jul 2025
Technology Development Zones Law (Technopark Law)
Teknoloji Geliştirme Bölgeleri Kanunu
Establishes Türkiye's technopark regime. Studios operating in a designated zone receive income and corporate tax exemptions on software, design, and R&D revenue until 2028, payroll withholding and stamp duty incentives for R&D and design personnel, and customs duty exemptions on imported research equipment. Relevant to studios in BTM, ITU ARI Teknokent, ODTU Teknokent, and other zones.
- Technopark
- Incentives
- R&D
- Tax Exemption
- Software
- Employment2003 · Updated Jul 2025
Labour Act (No. 4857)
İş Kanunu
Sets the baseline rules for employer and employee rights, working hours, overtime, leave, severance, termination, and workplace registration. Reaches every studio with employees in Türkiye, including remote teams and contractor arrangements that risk being reclassified as employment.
- Labor
- Employment
- Working Hours
- Severance
- Compliance
- HR
- Employment2021 · Updated 2021
Remote Work Regulation
Uzaktan Çalışma Yönetmeliği
Sets the procedural rules for remote employment relationships under Labor Act 4857, requiring written contracts, employer-provided equipment by default, and data protection safeguards. Relevant to game studios running distributed teams and contract animators or programmers working from home.
- Remote Work
- Labor
- Employment
- Data Protection
- Investment2003 · Updated Aug 2016
Foreign Direct Investment Law
Doğrudan Yabancı Yatırımlar Kanunu
Türkiye's FDI framework. Grants foreign investors national treatment, free transfer of profits and proceeds abroad, free company formation, and international arbitration access. Relevant to foreign-funded studios, foreign subsidiaries of Turkish studios, and foreign hires.
- Foreign Investment
- FDI
- Work Permits
- Company Formation
- Capital Transfer
- E-Commerce2014 · Updated Jul 2022
Electronic Commerce Law (No. 6563)
Elektronik Ticaretin Düzenlenmesi Hakkında Kanun
Sets the rules service providers and intermediary service providers must follow for online sales, contract formation, commercial electronic messages, and the İYS consent registry. Reaches studio storefronts, marketing emails, push campaigns, and SMS flows.
- E-Commerce
- Marketing
- İYS
- Consumer Protection
- Compliance
- Digital Sales
- E-Commerce2014 · Updated May 2025
Distance Contracts Regulation
Mesafeli Sözleşmeler Yönetmeliği
Spells out the pre-contract disclosure, order confirmation, fourteen-day right of withdrawal, refund timing, and marketplace duties that apply to every distance sale of goods, services, or digital content to a consumer in Türkiye. Directly reaches studio storefronts, in-app purchases, and platform listings.
- Distance Sales
- Withdrawal Right
- E-Commerce
- Refunds
- Marketplaces
- Consumer Protection
- Consumer Protection2013 · Updated Jul 2025
Consumer Protection Law (No. 6502)
Tüketicinin Korunması Hakkında Kanun
Governs consumer contracts, distance sales, unfair terms, defective goods, withdrawal rights, and warranty obligations under the Ministry of Trade. Reaches studio storefronts, in-game purchases, subscription tiers, refund flows, and any direct-to-consumer sale of software, services, or digital content.
- Consumer Protection
- Distance Sales
- Refunds
- Warranty
- Unfair Terms
- Compliance
- Payments2013 · Updated Dec 2025
Payment Services and Electronic Money Institutions Law (No. 6493)
Ödeme ve Menkul Kıymet Mutabakat Sistemleri, Ödeme Hizmetleri ve Elektronik Para Kuruluşları Hakkında Kanun
Regulates payment systems, payment institutions, and e-money institutions under the licensing authority of the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (TCMB). Reaches studios building in-game wallets, top-ups, or stored-value mechanics that handle player funds.
- Payments
- E-Money
- Fintech
- Licensing
- Compliance
- TCMB
- Tax & Finance2019 · Updated May 2023
Digital Services Tax Law (No. 7194)
Dijital Hizmet Vergisi ile Bazı Kanunlarda ve 375 Sayılı Kanun Hükmünde Kararnamede Değişiklik Yapılması Hakkında Kanun
Levies a turnover tax on digital advertising, on the sale of digital content (explicitly including games and in-game items), and on the operation of online marketplaces in Türkiye. Reaches any studio whose group exceeds the local and global revenue thresholds.
- Tax
- Digital Sales
- Advertising
- Marketplaces
- Compliance
- DST
- Commercial Law2011 · Updated 2011
Turkish Commercial Code (No. 6102)
Türk Ticaret Kanunu
Sets the legal framework for commercial enterprises, commercial companies, negotiable instruments, transport, insurance, and maritime commerce in Türkiye. Reaches every studio that incorporates as an anonim or limited şirket, signs an agency or distribution contract, issues commercial paper, or runs statutory books.
- Commercial Law
- Company Law
- Corporate Governance
- Audit
- Unfair Competition
- Negotiable Instruments
- Telecom2008 · Updated Dec 2025
Electronic Communications Law (No. 5809)
Elektronik Haberleşme Kanunu
Regulates electronic communications services, networks, devices, and the frequency spectrum under the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK). Reaches studios only when they operate as an authorised operator (selling connectivity, importing radio equipment) but matters indirectly to every product that ships on Turkish networks.
- Telecom
- BTK
- Spectrum
- Authorisation
- Devices
- Compliance
- Competition1994 · Updated Jun 2020
Protection of Competition Law (No. 4054)
Rekabetin Korunması Hakkında Kanun
Establishes the framework that bans anti-competitive agreements, cartel conduct, and abuse of dominance, and requires Competition Authority approval for qualifying mergers and acquisitions. Touches studio M&A, platform exclusivity deals, and distribution agreements.
- Competition
- Antitrust
- M&A
- Compliance
- Mergers
- Cartels
- Commercial Law2007 · Updated Jun 2025
Code on Private International Law and International Civil Procedure (No. 5718)
Milletlerarası Özel Hukuk ve Usul Hukuku Hakkında Kanun
Sets the choice-of-law rules for private legal relationships with a foreign element, the international jurisdiction of Turkish courts, and the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. Reaches every cross-border contract a studio signs, every foreign hire, and every dispute that crosses jurisdictions.
- Private International Law
- Cross-Border
- Choice of Law
- Jurisdiction
- Enforcement
- Conflict of Laws
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