Kazakhstan is set to introduce
strict regulations for the gambling industry. Individuals under 21 years old,
as well as civil servants and military personnel, are now prohibited from
participating in gambling and betting activities, which have been newly
included in the list of anti-corruption restrictions. A new treatment procedure
for gambling addiction will be implemented without mandatory registration,
offering advisory support and quality free medical care. These and other
amendments are part of a new law on gambling and lottery activities adopted
last month. Kazakh Deputy Minister of Tourism and Sports Miras Tulebayev spoke
about the law at a briefing in Astana, noting that it includes 150 amendments
across eight codes and 14 laws. Notably, the law bans outdoor advertising by
bookmakers and SMS notifications containing such advertisements to citizens. It
also imposes significant restrictions on lottery sales, prohibiting their sale
in residential buildings, as well as cultural, educational, healthcare, and
religious institutions. Furthermore, lotteries will be unavailable within a
hundred meters of schools, universities, hospitals, and polyclinics.
«It is worth noting that just
before the Law’s adoption, on May 31, the government also approved a
Comprehensive Plan to Combat Illegal Gambling Business and Gambling Addiction
in the country. The plan fully aligns with the provisions of the Law and aims
to carry out preventive measures. Specific tasks have been set for its
implementation, with the main priority being a 42 percent reduction in the
number of active clients of bookmakers and casinos. It is also crucial to
provide free rehabilitation for at least 500 gambling addicts annually and to
block at least 7,000 internet casinos and bookmaker websites each year. This
plan includes a total of 28 measures,» said Tulebayev.
