# Death of Turkish businessman Sudi Özkan

> Situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/death-of-turkish-businessman-sudi-zkan
> Updated: 2026-10-03T02:05:00.000Z. Sources: 8. Developments: 2.

Turkish businessman Sudi Özkan, widely recognized as the ‘Casino King’, has died in Istanbul at the age of 87 while receiving hospital treatment.

Özkan rose to prominence in the Turkish tourism and entertainment sectors, once controlling 19 of the country’s 78 legal casinos. Following a 1998 legislative ban on domestic gaming, he expanded his business empire internationally through the Princess International Group. His holdings grew to include over 100 companies, 16 hotels, and more than 60 properties across 16 countries, including locations in Bulgaria, Belarus, Georgia, the Caribbean, and the United States.

In Bulgaria, Özkan was the owner of the Trimontium Princess Hotel in Plovdiv, having acquired a majority stake in the landmark building in 1998. His business interests in the region also extended to the sports sector, where he was previously linked to potential acquisitions of the football club Botev Plovdiv.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-03: Sudi Ozkan, owner of Trimontium Princess Hotel, has died

Turkish businessman and Princess International Group owner Sudi Ozkan has died at 87. He was a major investor in Bulgaria, notably owning the Trimontium Princess Hotel in Plovdiv.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sudi-ozkan-owner-of-trimontium-princess-hotel-has-died

### 2026-10-02: Sudi Özkan, Turkish ‘Casino King,’ dies in Istanbul

Turkish businessman Sudi Özkan, known as the ‘Casino King,’ has died in Istanbul at age 87. He built a $4 billion international empire of hotels and gaming venues after Turkey banned domestic casinos in 1998.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sudi-zkan-turkish-casino-king-dies-in-istanbul

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Cite as: Death of Turkish businessman Sudi Özkan. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/death-of-turkish-businessman-sudi-zkan