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The parliament of Kazakhstan has supported, in two readings, amendments to the law on gambling which would restrict some categories of citizens from “participating in gambling and betting”.
The amendments were initiated by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who called gambling addiction one of the main social problems facing the country.
State employees and military personnel in Kazakhstan will be prohibited from participating in gambling if the amendments come into effect.
The ban will affect about 280,000 officials, military personnel and heads of state organisations.
In addition, Kazakhstanis included in the unified register of debtors will not get access to the local sports betting and casinos.
“Оne of the main victories is the limitation of persons included in the unified register of debtors. This is about 3.5 million people. We believe that they are potential clients of bookmakers and casinos,” said parliamentarian Elnur Beisenbaev to the local media.
The amendments also include provisions regarding medical rehabilitation of persons addicted to gambling and the introduction of advisory monitoring of gambling addicts without official registration, to maintain medical confidentiality.
Among other things, the maximum period of gambling self-exclusion will be increased from one year to ten years. The self-imposed ban cannot be cancelled at any point in its duration.
Advertising of bookmakers and casinos would also be significantly limited and a ban on telecom operators sending messages advertising gambling would be introduced by the new law.
At the same time, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov also approved the draft master plan for the city of Alatau, located 47 km from Almaty, which also provides for the opening of large gambling facilities.
All casinos, according to the plan, will be concentrated in an area called the Green District.
There will be a casino centre, ecological zones and locations for active recreation, according to the plan.
Alatau is the third gambling zone in Kazakhstan, adding to the existing two which operate in Konaev, in the Almaty region, and Burabay, in the Akmola region.
