New gambling zones are planned to be established in Kazakhstan. These locations may arise in regions such as Mangistau, Almaty, East Kazakhstan, and Zhetysu. This was reported by the Minister of Tourism and Sports, Yerbol Myrzabosynov, as stated by Tengrinews.kz.
According to the new legislation, in addition to the already existing gambling zones in Borovoe and Kapshagay, new casinos are planned to be opened:
- in Mangistau region by the shores of the Caspian Sea;
- in Panfilov district of Zhetysu region near Lake Alakol;
- in Talgar district of Almaty region;
- in Markakol area and Zaysan district of East Kazakhstan region.
However, specific locations for the casinos have not yet been determined.
Yerbol Myrzabosynov explained that the selection of sites will be carried out by local akimats.
“We define the zones, but specific sites will be chosen by local executive bodies, taking into account infrastructure and other aspects,” the minister noted.
He also added that the creation of gambling zones is seen as a way to stimulate the tourism industry and emphasized that this practice is common in other countries.
Economic Benefits
According to the minister, each new casino could contribute between 2 to 3 billion tenge in taxes to the budget annually and create about 500 jobs.
Additionally, he refuted rumors about a possible reduction in the tax burden on the gambling business.
“There is no talk of tax reductions. Casinos are required to pay taxes on each gaming table. The total amount of tax contributions will be from two to three billion tenge,” he stated.
The government also does not rule out that the number of gambling zones may increase in the future.
“At the moment, these zones have been defined, and their number may increase in the future to develop the tourism infrastructure,” added Yerbol Myrzabosynov.
It was previously reported that a casino is planned to be opened in Almaty region.
