... all 79 casinos in Turkey were closed down by the government on February 11, 1998.
What's the significance of that date? I have no idea. Among the Turkish casinos forced out
of business was the Ciragan Palace Casino in Istanbul which was once an Ottoman palace
overlooking the Bosphorus Strait. The casino may be long shuttered, but the Ciragan Palace
continues to be a 5-star luxury hotel owned and operated by the Kempinski Hotel group.

A couple of $1 chips from their old gaming days...