Kazakhstan is one of the leaders in terms of area and population among the CIS countries, therefore many entrepreneurs perceive it as a promising region for gambling activities. Special legislation regulating gambling business has been in force here for more than 15 years. A successful example of gambling market realization are special zones of Kazakhstan, where several dozens of operating casinos, bookmaker’s offices, etc. are concentrated. The local gambling industry is fed by an inexhaustible inflow of investments, which was made possible by the low cost of licenses, a stable flow of players and the presence of state control over this industry.

 

If you are interested in obtaining a gambling license in Kazakhstan, which will allow your company to operate legally, then we recommend using the assistance of Lawrange Law Office. Our specialists are well acquainted with local legislation and nuances of gambling licensing, thanks to which you will be able to overcome this process quickly and comfortably. Having a special permit from the Kazakh Regulator, you will be able to ensure stable business growth due to the ability to attract investors, new users and advanced technologies.

 

What is a gambling license

A gambling license is an official authorization to conduct gambling activities, issued by the relevant legislative bodies of specific jurisdictions to legally receive and collect commissions from players. The license provides gambling companies with legal status and regulatory rules, ensuring their legal compliance with general legislation.

 

A gambling license is necessary for an operator because it ensures the legality of its business activities and increases the confidence of players. Such authorization shows that the company operates according to the standards and rules of the industry, and that the interests and safety of players are protected.

 

Obtaining a gambling license in Kazakhstan is an important aspect for all professional companies engaged in gambling, including on the Internet. This document not only confirms the quality of services, but also helps to strengthen the reputation of the brand. Customers prefer to cooperate with licensed operators, knowing that these companies do not violate the law and comply with ethical principles.

 

Advantages of gambling license in Kazakhstan

A jurisdiction with rich traditions, a steadily developing economy and a rising standard of living is increasingly being used by entrepreneurs to open a gambling business. Compared to other countries, Kazakhstan’s gambling industry is small, but it is characterized by stable growth. With the development of the economy and increasing income of citizens, this market will continue its expansion. At the same time, gambling license in Kazakhstan opens access to a number of significant advantages.

 

Easy registration and licensing

It is possible to formalize licensed gambling activity in Kazakhstan literally in 1 month maximum. At the same time the size of the minimum authorized capital is zero. Licensing is considerably facilitated by the fact that individuals must provide a small package of documents to establish their own business.

 

Existence of a developed banking system

Kazakhstan has a wide range of local and foreign banks offering a wide range of services. It is possible to open accounts in various currencies, which greatly facilitates settlements with counterparties. Entrepreneurs have access to a variety of financial instruments that contribute to significant optimization of any business.

 

Attractive tax regime

Kazakhstan applies tax rates that compare favorably with other CIS countries. For example, the value added tax rate is 12% and the individual income tax rate is 10%. The main social costs of gambling activities in Kazakhstan consist of pension contributions at the rate of 10% when hiring local employees and social contributions at the rate of 5% of income paid to employees. Also attractive is the tax on dividends paid in favor of an individual – only 5%. It is worth noting that Kazakhstan has concluded agreements with some countries on avoidance of double taxation, which also contributes to a more comfortable doing business.

 

Development of state online service

Entrepreneurs can take advantage of various electronic services. Among other things, online licensing is available in this jurisdiction. On the website of the Ministry of Finance of Kazakhstan it is easy to monitor the work of your own enterprise and the timeliness of tax payments. On many issues, communication with the Gambling Regulator is also carried out remotely.

 

Special conditions for gambling companies

Specially created zones for gambling business in Kazakhstan encourage companies to conduct legal business in the country. Such companies are exempt from corporate and land tax, and land taxation is not applied to them. It is possible to hire foreign labor in a simplified procedure.

 

Legality

A gambling license in Kazakhstan is a mandatory step for those entrepreneurs who are interested in a constructive dialogue with local authorities. It allows to avoid any problems with the law, and at the same time increases the prestige of the company, which leads to increased confidence among investors and customers.

 

Requirements for obtaining a gambling license in Kazakhstan

Gambling operators in Kazakhstan must comply with specific requirements, including measures to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing. In addition, companies must ensure that their operations are fair, transparent and comply with certain technical standards.

 

Other licensing conditions:

 

  • An officially registered office and premises where land-based and online gambling activities can take place. The building must comply with the basic standards stipulated by local legislation.
  • An officially registered company entered the state register. The company must have a unique name, management staff with experience in the financial sector.
  • Obligatory contract with a local bank – the account must be credited with a minimum deposit of 25 thousand local calculation indexes (MCI) or more. This will automatically freeze the demand deposit.
  • Compliance with AML/CFT standards – a gambling license in Kazakhstan can only be issued if the gambling company complies with the rules against financial fraud. This includes an internal control system to ensure compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act, proper training of staff to identify suspicious activity. Customer records should be kept and be able to identify customers by name, address and social security number.
  • Availability of necessary equipment and software that will allow the company to effectively serve clients. At the same time, the server must be located in Kazakhstan.

 

Types of gambling covered by the gaming license in Kazakhstan

The government has taken measures to control and monitor the gaming industry, requiring all operators to obtain a license and comply with the rules set by the authorities. Certain types of online gambling are permitted in Kazakhstan, but are subject to strict regulations. In addition, measures have been taken to block access to unlicensed foreign gambling sites in an effort to protect its citizens and maintain control over the gambling industry.

 

According to the law of 2007, which regulates gaming activities in Kazakhstan, obtaining a gaming license in Kazakhstan allows you to open:

 

  • Land-based casinos.
  • The arcade.
  • Bookmaker.
  • Sweepstakes.

 

According to the law, casinos and halls with slot machines can be located only in two special economic zones – Almaty region and Shchuchinsky district of Akmola region. The opening of such establishments in other regions of the country is criminally punishable.

 

Regarding bookmakers, it is worth noting the fact that bets can only be accepted on upcoming real events in sports. Accordingly, in totalizators can accept bets only on upcoming horse racing events that will take place at the hippodrome. It is noteworthy that bookmaker’s offices in Kazakhstan continue to focus on the work of land-based betting shops. At the same time, only recently the activation of this business towards online betting has been noted. For this reason, the lion’s share of payments and disbursements in Kazakhstan occurs with the use of electronic cash desks, i.e. online.

 

Licensed operators have the opportunity to set up betting offices anywhere in the country, including online. However, companies may only engage in such activities on the Internet if they have obtained a license for land-based betting offices.

 

Important: Obtaining a gambling license in Kazakhstan is necessary to legally provide gambling services in this jurisdiction. The government issues licenses to casinos, sports betting operators and online gambling companies only if they meet the necessary requirements and regulations governing the industry. The licensing process is designed to maintain control over the gambling sector and protect the interests of consumers and the state.

 

Peculiarities of legal regulation

Kazakh gambling is regulated by the Ministry of Culture and Sports. This state body keeps records of all licensed gaming companies in the country. Information about them is publicly available in the registers on the Regulator’s website.

 

The legal regulation of gambling activities in the country is based on the law “On Gambling Business” of 2007. Casinos and slot machines are allowed to operate only in special zones, while bookmakers and totalizators are allowed everywhere, including online, but with the presence of an official office.

 

State control over gambling business is also exercised within the framework of the Law “On State Control and Supervision”. In case of illegal business, Article 269-1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan is applied, according to which the owners of the business are criminally liable regardless of the amount of illegal income.

 

The activity of online bookmakers, according to the Law of 2020 № 356-VI, takes place only with the participation of the Betting Accounting Center – cash and non-cash payments, including electronic currencies, can be made through this service. To protect the interests of the player, registration in the BCC with identification and creation of a personal wallet is required.

 

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As for gambling advertising, the specialized law “On Gambling Business” does not contain any prohibitions in this regard. At the same time, the laws “On Communications” and “On Advertising” impose restrictions on gambling and betting, namely it is prohibited to advertise unlicensed organizations. It is noteworthy that advertising of gambling is more widespread in the country than advertising of tobacco and alcohol products.

 

The domain space in Kazakhstan is controlled by the Ministry of Digital Development. In its activities, it is guided by a regulatory document from 2018, which lists the reasons for which a gambling company’s website can be blocked:

 

  • Location of the server outside of Kazakhstan.
  • Lack of an SSL certificate on the site.
  • The presence of malware on the site, which, among other things, engages in illegal collection of personal data, dissemination of illegal information, etc.
  • Indication of inaccurate data about the owner of the company when registering in the .KZ or .KAZ domain zone.

 

There are no published lists of blocked gambling sites in Kazakhstan. This information can be obtained from private resources.

 

The process of obtaining a gambling license in Kazakhstan

Licensing in this jurisdiction is relatively easy and quick. The main thing is to prepare a package of necessary documentation and fulfill all the requirements of the Regulator. In this case, we can distinguish several main stages of registration of gambling license in Kazakhstan.

 

Company opening

The company must have a local physical and legal address, contributed authorized capital, and a well-staffed management team. It is important for the operation of the company to have well-trained employees, including a financial and technical director. The owner of the legal entity himself is also entitled to occupy these positions, but provided that he has the relevant experience and knowledge.

 

Document preparation

A list of key documentation is provided:

 

  • a copy of the Articles of Association (must be notarized if the original is not submitted for verification).
  • certificate of state registration (re-registration) of a legal entity;
  • copies of passports confirming the identity of the owner of the company and its management;
  • a resume describing, among other things, the business’s line of business;
  • A copy of the check for the application fee;
  • information on the availability of an office to carry out activities;
  • data on the hardware and software used;
  • information on how security is organized for the office and gaming facilities;
  • the company’s charter (Russian and Kazakh language version of the document);
  • a copy of the agreement with a Kazakh bank regarding the opening of a deposit in the amount of 40,000 MSE.

 

These and some other documents (the Regulator may require depending on the type of the company’s activity) must be executed in a proper form and signed by authorized persons.

 

Submission of the application and its consideration

To apply for a gambling license in Kazakhstan, an application with a pre-prepared package of documentation must be submitted. It may take up to 15 working days for the Regulator to review the application, after which the license is approved or denied. When obtaining a license permit it is necessary to pay an annual license fee, the rate of which until recently was:

 

  • 1357440 tenge / 3900 US dollars – for totalizators and bookmaker’s offices.
  • 8155245 tenge / 23520 US dollars – for casino, hall of playing machines.

 

These amounts are paid each year by January 20 of the current year. The first year of business is an exception.

 

Why contact Lawrange

By turning to the specialists of our law firm, you can count on a professional solution to your problem. We are familiar with all legislative and tax nuances of Kazakhstan in the field of gambling, while being able to provide full support of the licensing process. Professional services, starting from preparation of documents and ending with submission of the application, communication with the Regulator exclude the risk of making a mistake or receiving a refusal.

 

The benefits of partnering with Lawrange:

 

  • Professionalism.
  • Experience.
  • Accessibility.
  • Personalized approach.
  • A full range of all necessary services.
  • Consulting opportunities for your business, etc.

 

The gambling market of Kazakhstan is a profitable direction for your business activities. Take advantage of it right now – contact us, and we will do everything necessary for a gambling company to start generating legal income in this jurisdiction as soon as possible.

 

FAQ

What bodies regulate gambling in Kazakhstan?

The direct regulatory function in this country is performed by the Ministry of Culture and Sports. Monitoring and control is additionally carried out by the fiscal services, the Ministry of Digitization, and the Committee for Combating Economic Crime under the Ministry of Finance.

 

Is it possible to organize online gambling in Kazakhstan, and what are the requirements for this?

It is possible to engage in online gambling in Kazakhstan, except for Internet casinos. The main thing in this case is to meet the basic requirements of the Regulator, namely: to have the appropriate license, to use a Kazakhstani server, to have a registered office in Kazakhstan, etc.

 

How much does a gambling permit cost in Kazakhstan?

Until recently, casinos and slot machine halls were required to pay 3,845 MRP (in Euros approximately 24,000 or in US dollars approximately 27,000) and betting companies and bookmakers 640 MRP (approximate amount in Euros 3,970 or in US dollars 4,500). These amounts are subject to change over time due to amendments to tax legislation.

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