In a move to address the concerning rates of gambling harm among Kazakh citizens, particularly among the younger demographic, Kazakhstan’s parliament has passed amendments to the country’s Tax Code that aim to intensify the monitoring of gambling activities.
Under the new provisions, gambling and lottery operators will be required to provide specific details about players’ bets, including size and information on wins and losses, directly to the National Tax Authority. This information must be sent online, requiring companies to adopt a system to ensure the automatic transmission of these data.
Additionally, there is a new regulation requiring national banks to provide details about gambling transactions conducted by local players within a maximum of 10 days after the transaction.
These reforms are being championed by President Kassym Tokayev, aimed at mitigating the harmful effects of problem gambling, especially among the young population. It’s worth noting that despite these new rules, Kazakhstan still lacks a clear regulatory system for gambling, unlike other modern gambling markets.
Vice Minister Yerzhan Erkinbayev is responsible for reviewing the country’s gambling rules. He recently proposed raising the legal gambling age from 21 to 25 years and introducing severe penalties for operators that allow underage individuals access to gambling. These proposals are under the review of President Tokayev and may lead to further adjustments in the sector’s policies.