President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a law to address problem gambling. The law, «On amending some legal acts related to gambling, lottery activities, healthcare, state labor inspection, state control and removing excessive regulation,» prohibits public servants, military personnel and debtors from gambling and bans selling energy drinks to those under 21.
What will change with the new law?
According to the press service of the Akorda (the official residence of the president of Kazakhstan in Astana), the document has expanded the list of people prohibited from gambling and betting. Individuals on the Unified Register of Debtors have been added to the list, along with those holding top public positions, who have been prohibited from gambling and betting through anti-corruption regulations.
Furthermore, the new law prohibits gambling and betting for categories such as public servants, military personnel, special service agents, law enforcement officers and heads of budget entities. Those who violate the law will be fired.
In addition, the Ministry of Tourism and Sport has introduced limitations on advertising by betting businesses and totalizators.
«Outdoor advertising by betting businesses and totalizators, their advertising on public transportation, in mass media, movies, videos and reference services is prohibited. The only exceptions are external advertising near a betting entity or totalizator, inside sporting facilities and on sporting uniforms; advertising in sport-oriented media outlets and during live-streamed international sports events on Kazakhstani TV channels,» the Akorda said in a statement.
Moreover, the law prohibits the distribution of lottery tickets and installation of lottery terminals within a 100-meter radius of residential buildings, dormitories, places of worship, buildings and facilities run by cultural organizations, and social facilities (educational and healthcare).
«To protect our next generation from the harm associated with consuming energy drinks, selling such drinks to people under 21 is now prohibited,» the Akorda reported.
Context
In early June, the Mazhiliz (the lower house of the parliament) approved the gambling law in the second reading. Around 280,000 public servants, military personnel and heads of budget organizations were prohibited from gambling, along with Kazakhstanis on the Unified Register of Debtors. On June 27, the draft law was approved by the Senate, the upper house of the country’s parliament.
Kazakhstani lawmakers had been working on the draft law on gambling for almost two years. According to MP Yelnur Beysenbayev, some lobbyists had tried to put pressure on the lawmakers to soften the draft law. He even accused the cabinet of supporting gambling in the country after ministers refused to raise the minimum legal gambling age to 25 years.
In February 2024, Beysenbayev accused the cabinet of deliberately causing a delay in adopting the draft law regulating the activities of betting businesses and countering ludomania in Kazakhstan.
There are about 350,000 people in Kazakhstan who regularly gamble and bet. By 2026, this number is expected to be cut by half, as authorities will provide free medical treatment and social rehabilitation to those affected. To cover these costs, the government will allocate more than $166,641.
