Legal Gambling Business in Kazakhstan: 31% Growth and New Changes
Service Volume and Tax Revenues
In 2024, the legal gambling business in Kazakhstan grew by 31.4%, reaching $959 million (484.5 billion KZT). However, this figure remains comparable to the results of 2022 ($1.095 billion or 553 billion KZT).
The state budget received significant contributions from the gambling sector:
- Total tax revenues from operators amounted to $93.3 million.
- Bookmaker LLP “Realbet” (1xBet) doubled its payments to $37.3 million (18.6 billion KZT), becoming the largest taxpayer in the sector.
- Casino CashVille increased its tax payments 75 times, reaching 2.4 billion KZT.
- Companies “Bestam Corporation” (Montana) and “RK Macao” (Macao) each increased payments by 500 million KZT.
Impact on Sports and Economy
Gambling operators actively finance the sports industry:
- $88 million allocated for sponsorship contracts with federations.
- $40 million invested in sports development in Kazakhstan.
- According to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, in 2023, bookmakers, casinos, and lotteries contributed over 100 billion KZT to the budget.
- 44 billion KZT allocated to support sports federations, while another 20 billion KZT was invested in sports infrastructure development.
Geography of the Gambling Business
The regional structure of the gambling business in Kazakhstan is shaped by legislative requirements:
| Region | Market Share | Turnover |
|---|---|---|
| Almaty Region (Konaev City) | 91.1% | 441.5 billion KZT |
| Shchuchinsk-Borovoe Zone | 8.8% | 42.9 billion KZT |
New Laws and Combating Gambling Addiction
New legislative restrictions came into effect on September 9, 2024:
- Ban on bookmaker advertising on buildings and in media (except sports publications).
- Restriction on the sale of lottery tickets near educational institutions.
- Blocking of transactions in favor of online casinos.
- Prohibition of gambling for civil servants and debtors.
- Increase in the self-exclusion period for gamblers from 1 year to 10 years.
According to the Unified Register of Debtors, 3 million people in Kazakhstan were banned from gambling. The number of players who set self-exclusion reached 188 thousand, with 12 thousand choosing a term of more than a year.
Combating Illegal Gambling
State authorities in Kazakhstan continue their efforts against illegal betting. In 2024, the number of criminal cases related to the organization of illegal gambling businesses decreased by 30.7% (70 cases). Compared to 2019, this figure has dropped sixfold.
The government plans to further reduce the number of Kazakhstanis who regularly gamble and increase the number of those who have undergone rehabilitation for gambling addiction.
The legal gambling business in Kazakhstan continues to grow while facing increased state regulation. Nevertheless, the industry remains an important source of tax revenue and sports sponsorship.