Kazakhstan Proposes Licensing Bloggers to Curb Online Casino Advertising

Kazakh Senator Gennady Shipovskikh has proposed introducing a blogger licensing system in response to growing violations of the country’s ban on advertising online casinos via social media and messaging platforms. Since 2024, Kazakhstan has prohibited outdoor advertising of bookmakers, online casinos, and betting pools, as well as their promotion in media content, films, and videos. However, the Financial Monitoring Agency (FMA) has identified 34 bloggers involved in promoting illegal online gambling platforms. Eleven of them have already received administrative penalties. The agency now argues that fines are insufficient and is pushing for the introduction of criminal liability for such offenses. Licensing as a Regulatory Tool Speaking at a plenary session of the Senate, Shipovskikh said licensing would provide the legal basis to suspend a blogger’s activity in the event of violations. “We propose, along with the administrative fines currently applied for advertising illegal online casinos and dubious giveaways, to introduce licensing or create a special register of bloggers. This will allow us to regulate their advertising activities and strengthen their accountability before the law,” he stated. Shipovskikh also called for tighter oversight of payment service providers and advertising agencies that may facilitate illegal gambling activities. He further proposed a monitoring mechanism to verify the legality of sweepstakes and giveaways commonly run on social platforms. “We also propose to fully utilize the mechanism of criminal liability for such violations,” he added. Scope of Illegal Gambling and Enforcement Measures According to FMA data, 205 illegal casinos have been shut down in Kazakhstan over the past two and a half years, with 224 individuals facing criminal charges for their involvement. Shipovskikh argued that existing penalties fail to deter offenders: “Ordinary fines do not have the desired deterrent effect. Illegal advertising brings bloggers millions in profits, which significantly exceed the amount of penalties imposed.” Legal Framework Already in Place Speaking to reporters after the Senate session, FMA Deputy Chairman Zhenis Yelemesov confirmed the agency’s intention to pursue criminal liability for advertising illegal casinos, including the confiscation of related income. He also clarified that current law already allows for prosecution in certain cases. “If it is proven that a blogger participated in the organization of a casino, the distribution of profits, or was otherwise involved in a crime, he will be prosecuted as an accomplice,” Yelemesov said.

Kyrgyzstan Simplifies Process for Obtaining Construction Licenses

The Kyrgyz Ministry of Construction has streamlined the process of issuing licenses to construction companies, eliminating intermediaries and making it possible to obtain a license directly for a fixed fee and within a short time frame. Minister of Construction Nurdan Oruntaev announced the changes via his official Facebook page.  All documents can now be submitted, and construction licenses obtained, through the Ministry of Construction’s official website. According to the ministry, the number of documents required to obtain a construction license has been reduced significantly, from 23 to just 6. However, the cost of obtaining a construction license has increased substantially, from 150,000 KGS (approximately $1,700) to 1.5 million KGS (around $17,000). "Foreign investors, please contact us directly. Do not purchase licenses from unofficial sources. We are ready to issue you a construction license under the simplest conditions: you need only to provide a copy of the relevant license from your country and pay 1.5 million som to the state treasury. No bureaucracy, no queues, just six documents, and the license will be issued within 10 days," Oruntaev emphasized. Under the new rules, the procedure for obtaining one-time construction licenses has also been simplified. Companies without a full construction license can now receive a permit for a single project at a specific site. This reform follows the establishment of the Ministry of Construction earlier in 2025. Previously, licensing and regulatory functions for construction were managed by the Architecture and Construction Agency, which was subordinate to the Ministry of Economy and Commerce.