According to the latest amendments to the gambling regulations in Kazakhstan, the new zones are meant for foreign citizens and stateless persons, as well as individuals present in an official capacity. This approach is different from the two existing gambling zones in Konaev and the Shchuchinsk-Borovoye resort area, where locals are allowed to gamble.
That distinction indicates the direction Astana has in mind for the industry. The state appears to be trying to direct the existing casino industry into a tourism framework that could attract outside spending into certain regions, while maintaining tight restrictions around local participation.
Where the New Zones Are Planned
Newly designated areas are located in four regions with existing tourism potential. These are:
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Mangistau region on the Caspian Sea coast;
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The Panfilov district and the shoreline of Lake Alakol in the Zhetysu region;
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The Talgar district in the Almaty region;
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The Markakol-Zaisan area in East Kazakhstan.
At the same time, the law clearly outlines the boundaries. Gambling facilities cannot be located in protected natural areas, on land of historical and cultural significance, or on land related to defense and national security.
The geography of that choice may indicate that the government would like to locate casinos within a larger tourism package rather than as standalone gambling centers. The policy effectively connects gambling with resort development, inter-regional travel, and longer lengths of stay.
Why the Government Thinks the Timing Works
The project is presented as an economic move in the context of a favorable environment in the tourism sector. As Deputy Tourism and Sports Minister Baurzhan Rapikov said, each casino has the potential to create up to 500 jobs, bring up to KZT4 billion in annual tax revenue, and increase the volume of gambling tourism from 100,000 to 200,000 people.
These are projections based on Kazakhstan’s momentum in tourism growth. The country, according to tourism officials, recorded 15.7 million foreign visitors for tourism purposes in 2025. Domestic accommodation usage was 6.7 million in the first nine months of 2025. Revenue from accommodation services increased to KZT 268 billion in the first nine months of 2025, which is an increase of KZT 44 billion year on year.
Kazakhstan appears to be experimenting to see whether heavily ring-fenced gambling zones can function as a tourism and regional development driver without being perceived as a weakening in its domestic gambling stance. Accordingly, this is less a story about gaming in isolation and more a function of how the country intends to benefit from tourism to generate revenues while maintaining political control over the sector’s social boundaries.
